The Sarah Palin “Money Shot”

Call me crazy, but I have carefully reviewed and compared Sarah Palin’s and Miss South Carolina’s interview performances and I am starting to suspect that these two might in fact be one and the same person.  Have you ever seen them in a room together at the same time?

This judgment is drawn not just from superficial characteristics – their poise and good looks, the fact that both are beauty queens.  I have closely examined unique characteristics in vocal patterns and syntax.

Watch this hilarious video on Prometheus Unbound.  Also, see below, and let me know if you disagree:

Question for Miss South Carolina: Recent polls have shown that a fifth of Americans can’t locate the U.S. on a map. Why do you think this is?

Her answer

I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because, uh,
some, uh, people out there in our nation don’t have maps and, uh, I
believe that our ed- education, like such as in South Africa and, uh,
the- the Iraq everywhere, like such as, and I believe that they should,
uh, our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S. or- or-
should help South Africa and should help the Iraq and the Asian
countries so we will be able to build up our future. 

Katie Couric asked Sarah Palin why the physical proximity of Alaska to Russia qualifies  as foreign affairs experience.

Her answer (thanks, NY Times):

That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign
country, Russia, and on our other side, the land — boundary that we
have with — Canada…

Ms. Couric went on to ask the governor if she had ever been involved in negotiations with her Russian neighbors.

“We have trade missions back and forth,” Ms. Palin said. “We — we do — it’s
very important when you consider even national security issues with
Russia as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the
United States of America, where — where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s
just right over the border.”

Can you tell the difference?

Seriously, I do have some sympathy for Ms. Palin.   Gibson and Couric both seemed like they were suffering from severe constipation when interviewing Palin.  Their stiff demeanors belied the glee they both must surely have felt as they successfully tripped her up.  You can almost envision them huddling with their producers in advance, wondering how they can get that Sarah Palin money shot.

But then, she was packaged and sold to us as a poised and articulate candidate who is ready for the national stage and possibly even the presidency.

McCain’s campaign needs to get her prepped and do some media training, and do it fast.