Sunday, September 21, 2008

Triumph of the trivial

Interesting political tidbit that rather defines the McCain campaign. There was to have been a lunch with Sarah Palin next week at a private home here in the Seattle area—a limited attendance chance to meet & listen to the diva of the downmarket. Minimum price of admission: $2500, so I hope the lunch is more than mac & cheese or mooseburgers. ($25K would buy you some photo ops & maybe even a chance to talk to her.)

I know this because my employer sent round a notice of the event—which absolutely freaked me out. I’m told they sent similar emails for events featuring Obama, but it still makes me really, really uncomfortable. My employer ought to keep its nose out of my personal political activities.

Well, anyhow—turns out that La Palin had a scheduling problem & can’t make the lunch. (Did the helicopter-based wolf-hunting season just open?)

So the GOP are making what must seem to them to be a logical swap: they’re sending in Cindy McCain to hold the glass of white wine & smile for pix.

Now, does anyone else see the anomaly in this? The idea that if the person whose views could shape our lives for the next four years—you know, the candidate—can’t make an event, swapping her out for her running-mate’s spouse is an equal exchange? What the hell—they’re both lookers, aren’t they? They both spend more time getting their hair done & shopping for shoes than formulating ideas. They both have the XX-chromosome configuration—one’s as good as the other, yes?

What they’re basically doing is acknowledging the utter triviality of Sarah Palin—that she’s so devoid of substance that you can replace her with another chick & no one will notice.

God help us all.

No comments: