Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Mrs. Palin Goes To Washington: Life Imitating Art

In today's political world, voter apathy has become rooted in this nation. And the main reason for the apathy is found in the public distrust towards the politics of today. But through art, history has taught us that the voter's distrust in the political process, is not a newly discovered event.

Arguably in this presidential election, voter apathy is taking a back-seat and interest in the upcoming presidential election will rejuvenate the political process and John Q Public will become engaged and hopefully, a new movie script in politics will be written.

A Star Is Born and Get Me Some Popcorn

Hollywood has a way of meshing politics with entertain and as such, political statements are the underlying foundation in many movies. One such movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington relies on that political foundation.

Here we have a Hollywood movie that details the political machinations of Washington D.C., an Outsider to the political machinations of Washington D.C. and meshes the story board with heart felt innocence.

In real life, we have a Hollywood movie in the making and we all are active participants in it. No 3-D glasses needed in this one and we can have our popcorn while we cheer for the political hero, get angry at the corruption or sad at the trials by fire.

The star of this real life movie is Sarah Palin. An Outsider of the political machinations of Washington D.C. that is now finding her way.

There is an irony of sorts in that Hollywood that made the movie about an innocent Outsider that battles the politics of Washington D.C., is now engaged in writing their own story board on Sarah Palin.

It is a Hollywood story board made up of actors that attack Sarah for her lack of experience, her values and jeer at the very innocence that made Mr. Smith goes to Washington, the endearing film it is.

But what Hollywood has given us in the movies from the past is now playing in real life. And Hollywood is finding out that it can't take away that innocence that Sarah Palin has brought with her.

It can only attack her.

The Media Gets in on the Acting Too

In the movie Mr. Smith goes to Washington, the media was part of the machinations of Washington D.C..

As Mr. Smith gained popularity, it was Mr. Smith who was smeared by the press and the opposition began feeding the press the storyline and in effect a news blackout on the truth began.

Big money and intimidation by the opposition was used.

In the end, Mr. Smith prevailed. There was an assembly of young boys who became writers, editors and printers that called out the truth.

But the young boys also endured their own trials and tribulations.

Big money and intimidation by the opposition was used.

In real life, we see as Sarah gained in popularity, the media start to attack her with smears all the while her opposition claims to have taken no responsibility.

We see the "Gotcha" interviews by the media and the news on rumors about an affair, Sarah hiding who was the real parent of her son Trig, Sarah banning books, Sarah's daughter being pregnant, Sarah's husband's DUI 22 years ago, the list is long on the unsubstantiated rumors reported by the media as if they were true.

Fortunately today, there is a slight difference from the movie Mr. Smith goes to Washington; the truth tellers for Sarah are not an army of young boys, but a mixture of like minded individuals who take to the airways on talk radio and the Internet and tell the truth about this woman who goes by the name Mrs. Sarah Palin.

I was fortunate to see this woman early on in her campaign to become Governor, speak before a group of like minded people in Anchorage, and I felt that someday she would be where she is today. And I felt that a movie would be made about her life.

But it will take an Outsider in Hollywood to write the script and direct it in a truthful manner about Sarah Palin the Outsider of Washington politics.

For now, we Americans are given a chance to control how that movie ends. I know how I want it to end.

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