Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
For the past few years, Sarah Palin has been making a movie about herself. Actually, she hasn't been making it, but she initiated the project. From Real Clear Politics:
Shortly after Republicans swept last November to a historic victory in which Sarah Palin was credited with playing a central role, the former Alaska governor pulled aside her close aide, Rebecca Mansour, to discuss a hush-hush assignment: Reach out to conservative filmmaker Stephen K. Bannon with a request. Ask him if he would make a series of videos extolling Palin's governorship and laying to rest lingering questions about her controversial decision to resign from office with a year-and-a-half left in her first term. It was this abdication, Palin knew, that had made her damaged goods in the eyes of some Republicans who once were eager to get behind her potential 2012 presidential campaign.
The response was more positive than Palin could have hoped for. He'd make a feature-length movie, Bannon told Mansour, and he insisted upon taking complete control and financing it himself -- to the tune of $1 million.
To anyone who thinks she's a lightweight, or not-so-bright, think again. This is some gutsy, long-term thinking. With an emphasis on gutsy:
Though she did not have any editorial role in the project, Palin facilitated access for Bannon and his film crew to key Alaskan defenders who were involved with the major achievements of her administration, and the filmmaker spent several weeks in the 49th state gathering archival film and conducting research and interviews for the project. He and his team took extraordinary measures to keep their endeavor secret.
The movie, according to many sources, is done. And it's impressive. It's a large-lens look at Palin's life, time in office, and genuine accomplishments.
It's also a fairly complete look at the controversial governor. Again, from RCP:
To convey Bannon's view of the pathology behind Palin-hatred, the film begins with a fast-paced sequence of clips showing some of the prominent celebrities who have used sexist, derogatory and generally vicious language to describe her.
Rosie O'Donnell, Matt Damon, Bill Maher, David Letterman, and Howard Stern all have brief cameos before comedian Louis C.K. goes off on a particularly ugly anti-Palin riff.
"I hate her more than anybody," C.K. says at the end of his tirade, the rest of which is unfit to print here.
Bannon intends to release two versions of the film. An unrated edition will contain some obscene anti-Palin language and imagery, while the other is targeted to a general audience and will seek a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America.
Again, this is a canny move, both from the perspective of the filmmaker -- more controversy = more ticket sales -- and from the point of view of Palin. The unhinged hatred people have for her makes her even more popular with some people. Even people like me, who have reservations about her presidential run.
And she is running for president.
How do I know?
When's the premiere of the movie, you ask? Next month.
Where's the premiere of the movie, you ask? Iowa.
Sarah Palin is running for president. And this film is her opening shot. From all reports, it's a big one. Despite my misgivings, I have to say: I wish her well, and I'm rooting for her. I just haven't figured out exactly what I'm rooting for her to do.
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Comments:
Jun '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Quick, someone get the EMT's to Kenneth's house.
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Will there be a 3D version?
And what's the title? Sarah Palin, Miserable Quitter - the Sequel?
Jan '11
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
If no one goes to see the movie, how will it help her? Sure, lots of her devoted fans will go, but don't you think Stewart, Letterman, Maher et al. will all just make a lot of fun of the movie, including it's weak box office, and it will be written off as an ill-conceived vanity project?
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Here's today's challenge, Ricochters: can someone, please, explain why Palin running is a good thing for the GOP?
And Rob: where would you set the bar for a successful Palin candidacy? All the way to the White House, securing the nomination, delivering a graceful concession speech at the convention, winning girl-fight with Michele Bachmann?
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Kenneth:
And what's the title? Sarah Palin, Miserable Quitter - the Sequel? · May 25 at 11:25am
That's what I find so intriguing about the movie. From the passage Rob quoted above:
Laying to rest lingering questions about her resignation? That's a pretty ambitious goal. I'm actually pretty eager to see how the subject is treated.
May '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Before this movie was announced, I didn't think she would enter the race.
If she runs, she will be among the most popular candidates. If this movie presents a good argument for her abandoning her governorship, she will be duking it out with Romney for the #1 slot.
Like her or not, the main reason the media and the Left have so viciously gone after her is because they fear her. They recognize her potential to withstand their usual tactics and defeat Obama, even if many conservatives don't. She might be the only Republican candidate who knows how to play offense.
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Aaron Miller: Before this movie was announced, I didn't think she would enter the race.
If she runs, she will be among the most popular candidates. If this movie presents a good argument for her abandoning her governorship, she will be duking it out with Romney for the #1 slot.
Like her or not, the main reason the media and the Left have so viciously gone after her is because they fear her. They recognize her potential to withstand their usual tactics and defeat Obama, even if many conservatives don't. She might be the only Republican candidate who knows how to play offense. · May 25 at 11:30am
Sorry, Aaron, but there is no Republican nominee Obama would more happily face than Sarah Palin.
Jan '11
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
I'm just skeptical as to the power of a movie to really change an election. Farenheit 911 was supposed to destroy Bush's chances of reelection. It grossed 120 mil. domestically and no one really cared. Palin's movie will suck the oxygen of the GOP race toward her for a month or so, but that could potentially work against Palin, too. If the PR that attends the film turns into the typical media circus that has surrounded Palin in the past, I think it just reminds GOP primary voters why she is unelectable.
Edited on May 25, 2011 at 8:35pmOct '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
And I'm pretty eager to see how her detractors on the Right react to the content of the film (assuming the film is fair and honest), for therein will lie their credibility and integrity, or lack thereof, on the subject of Sarah Palin.
Edited on May 25, 2011 at 8:35pmOct '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Kenneth
Aaron Miller: Before this movie was announced, I didn't think she would enter the race.
If she runs, she will be among the most popular candidates. If this movie presents a good argument for her abandoning her governorship, she will be duking it out with Romney for the #1 slot.
Like her or not, the main reason the media and the Left have so viciously gone after her is because they fear her. They recognize her potential to withstand their usual tactics and defeat Obama, even if many conservatives don't. She might be the only Republican candidate who knows how to play offense. · May 25 at 11:30am
Sorry, Aaron, but there is no Republican nominee Obama would more happily face than Sarah Palin. · May 25 at 11:33am
Yeah...and we know from experience how good Obama's judgment is.
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
"For the past few years"
Rob, did you mean months?
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Assuming it's fair and honest? It is, by definition and design, a bit of political fluffery. Why on earth would I be persuaded by $1 million of propaganda?
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Many on the left view Sarah Palin the same way we on the right view Michael Moore. Will the visceral reaction to her and the film fire up those on the right who don't support her but would like to give the left a poke in the eye?
Dec '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Kenneth
Sorry, Aaron, but there is no Republican nominee Obama would more happily face than Sarah Palin. · May 25 at 11:33am
Which, of course, is why the Obama White House is telling everyone that they sure don't want to be thrown in the Huntsman briar patch, but that they're just itching for a Palin run. We ought to know by now how Br'er Rabbit Obama thinks.
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Good point. But it may accomplish the most important first step: getting Republicans (like me) who have misgivings about her to give her a second look.
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Stuart Creque: "For the past few years"
Rob, did you mean months? · May 25 at 11:38am
Apparently, this has been in the works since "shortly after" the 2008 election.
Oct '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Kenneth
Assuming it's fair and honest? It is, by definition and design, a bit of political fluffery. Why on earth would I be persuaded by $1 million of propaganda? · May 25 at 11:39am
Why not wait and see whether it actually is fluffery or propaganda? Why pass judgment before you know anything about it? Isn't that behavior the realm of the Left?
Mar '11
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Kenneth
Aaron Miller:
Like her or not, the main reason the media and the Left have so viciously gone after her is because they fear her. They recognize her potential to withstand their usual tactics and defeat Obama, even if many conservatives don't. She might be the only Republican candidate who knows how to play offense. · May 25 at 11:30am
Sorry, Aaron, but there is no Republican nominee Obama would more happily face than Sarah Palin. · May 25 at 11:33am
You'll vote for her when the time comes, Kenneth.
May '11
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
Sarah Barracuda, with her nasal voice and pollyanna vernacular, can make me cringe like no other politician. That said, I hope she runs and if she runs I will be watching much more closely and enthusiastically that I would otherwise. I don't think I am alone in this assessment.
Jul '10
Re: Sarah Palin is Running for President. For Real.
dittoheadadt
Kenneth
Assuming it's fair and honest? It is, by definition and design, a bit of political fluffery. Why on earth would I be persuaded by $1 million of propaganda? · May 25 at 11:39am
Why not wait and see whether it actually is fluffery or propaganda? Why pass judgment before you know anything about it? Isn't that behavior the realm of the Left? · May 25 at 11:45am
Gosh, I'm so prejudiced it didn't occur to me that someone with as many negatives as Palin would spend $1 million to produce a balanced movie that is specifically intended to kick off a presidential campaign.