In the 2008 Presidential election, the Republicans have cast themselves as Main Street, ready to take on the Ivory Towers in a WWE steel cage match. This someone-you’d-like-to-have-a-beer-with, regular-person-as-your-fearless-leader strategy worked for them in the last two contests, and in the down home-speak now preferred by the GOP: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” No surprise there.
But last night’s debate left the Hangover wondering why Palin was doing her best impression of Marge Gunderson, Frances McDormand’s steadfast policewoman from the film Fargo. Palin incessantly reminded us that John McCain is a maverick and that her experience as mayor of Wasilla (population 9780) qualifies her to be Vice President. In-between, she dropped more Fargo-isms than we could count—in case we didn’t know that she really was just an above-average average American at heart.
If you watched, you were treated to such figures of speech as (complete with that northern, folksy accent):
“you betcha” “back ya up” “a heckuva lot” “goin’ on” “tap into ‘em” “bless their hearts” “comin’” “bringin’” “sayin” “hockey game” “hockey mom” “Joe Six-pack” “darn right” “change is comin” “doggone it” “there ya go again” “work with ya”
Vice President Gunderson??
It turns out that Palin may have more talent than we’ve given her credit for. Sarah does Gunderson/McDormand better than Tina Fey does Sarah. And that’s saying something.
With all that’s going on in the country right now, it’s time to give the American people a break. If the Republicans are going to shove this hometown schtick down our throats with Palin, the least they could do is give her Steve Buscemi as a campaign sidekick. Then the farce would be complete.
I’d love to see Sarah Palin’s pumps, upside down, attached to her meaty calves in the chipper-shredder.