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Sarah Palin's 10 Most Awkward Media Moments
If the soon-to-be-former Alaska governor’s rambling resignation speech made some viewers wince, it was probably not the first time. Here’s a look back at the soon-to-be-former governor’s most cringe-inducing moments. And yes—we included the turkey.
#10 Palin Reflects on Wonders of America as Turkey Gets Decapitated
There’s a rather large line between awkward and gruesome, but on Nov. 21, 2008, Palin managed to cross both. Irony lost on no one: Moments before this interview, Palin had just pardoned a turkey.
#9 Palin Presents Alaska’s Proximity to Russia as a Foreign-Policy Credential
What’s especially interesting in retrospect is Katie Couric’s unwillingness—out of sympathy, one could imagine—to let Palin’s bumbling of this question pass quickly. Couric takes Palin’s we’re-close-to-Russia-and-that’s-important claim seriously, following up with “have you been involved with any negotiations, for example with the Russians?” Priceless.
#8 Palin Bobs Her Head to Gangsta Beat as Dems, Independents Cringe
It’s a bit discomfiting to recall how important a late-night comedy/variety show was to the 2008 election. Or perhaps that’s part of what makes it all bearable and occasionally fun. Wanting to take control of Saturday Night Live’s pitch-perfect mockery of her, Palin decided to appear in this skit, which features a moose being shot and the governor trying to look hip while dancing in her chair. Bad idea.
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Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
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Jacob Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Daily Beast. Previously, he was a features writer at WWD and W Magazine. He has also written for New York magazine, Paper, and The Huffington Post.
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Jeff Madrick is a contributor to the New York Review of Books and a former economics columnist for the New York Times. He is editor of Challenge Magazine, visiting professor of humanities at Cooper Union, and senior fellow at the New School's Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis. He is the author of Taking America, The End of Affluence (Random House) and The Case for Big Government.
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Somehow, I think Tim Russert missed the best/worst example of the perils of our video age. This small collection of idiocy should educate a whole new generation of political "wannabees."
There are so many, and "10" is such an inadequate number. The debates and the various genera of the stump speech(es) should have a rogue's gallery as well.
Also, those moments when she wowed her base have a place here - right up with the Nurnburg rallies.
Good grief! What an ignorant person.
Amen ! The most ignorant I have ever in my life came across. She was running for the vice presidency of the United States ?!?
Do we ever get to see Joe Biden's 10 most awkward media moments. I know there' more than 10 but the media wouldn't dare broach it because he is a Democrat. My favorite was when being interviewed by Katie Couric, he claimed that FDR got on TV in 1929 as President and talked about the Great Depression. This is the man who voted against the Alaskan pipeline in 1972. Very smart Joe.
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Why can't we never stay on subject. Palin is not predident material, no matter how many Dem you will like to call out. Just admit that Palin is not ready and move on. The truth will set you free!!
The reason the media isn't highlighting Biden's moments is that he is NOT quitting his job in a hail of words, like palin has done. In journalism, just because one person makes a themselves look like a moron, the press isn't responsible to try making someone else with whom you find disagreement look equally the fool.
Instead of whining about Biden, how about really evaluating the stupidity that IS palin?? If you opened your eyes, you may even learn something. So, if/when Biden does something as stupid, understand that he will be held to the exact standard. Unlike fox, MOST press outlets don't care from what side of the political spectrum they find stupidity. Stupidity in all forms helps the press sell their products. And, selling products is why the press is in business. Or, don't you understand free-enterprise?
Don't be fooled by the Senators' mouth running; He's a pretty sly old pol to have lasted inside the Beltway for so many years. At his debate with Sarah he pulled a trick that made her jump like she'd been hit with a cattle prod and start running her mouth so fast through the ventriloquist dummy speech she'd been prepped for she almost lost it. Didn't you all see it? His crying?
It's tricky to be a gentleman and almost get your idiot opponent to lose it on TV when you have to stay completely mild mannered. As for the gaffes- how much of that happens in private? Very little I bet. And how many of them manipulate people's heads? Politicians have some dirty tricks we've never imagined. I saw my grandaddy work some that I don't completely understand to this day, but he ruled with an iron fist. Don't underestimate Joe.
That poor woman. So far in over her head and not a clue! Life must be hard for the pathologically narcissistic like Ms Palin.
So many in such a short period of time. That may be part of the problem. Sarah was on the national stage for such a short time, yet we have a plethora of "bad moments". Oh well, we will see where this all goes with time.
Hopefully to the RNC! Sarah as a presidential candidate would be a wonderful gift from God!
I can just see it happening... and afterwards, what's left of the GOP will move to Alaska, ha!
These are all probably just cut creatively, you can actually hear at the start of the hockey game they are cheering right before the part where they say her name.
Ummmm.....ok!? your point here would be what? the fans cheered for the ceremonial puck dropping until they heard her name and see her make her way to the ice. If there's any point to make about that clip, it would be about flyer's fans, and the fact that they assualted a santa clause at a home game once.
Just another Liberal attack on Christmas. I just can't wait until they try to ban Martin Luther's birthday (I'm for indulgences and yet still celebrate it).
OMG Palin is priceless! She was made for Fox News - she'd make a great roving weather girl - the new Al Rokker. That Alaska governorship was just standing in teh way of the new America's Sweetheart...
As I read all of the bashings as well as praise for Palin, I realize no matter what, she and her family need our support.
God forbid it's an illness that is prompting this resignation.
Whether it is Sarah or another member of her family.
Then all the mean-spirited shots at Palin will look awfully, well, mean.
She is NOT qualified to lead our nation in public office, but she is a human being, no matter how misguided and self-absorbed.
She would look pretty bad blaming the "full- court press" then.
The one thing that always struck me about 'Turkeygate' is that the film crew must have been in on it. The way the shot is framed, with Palin off to the side with lots of room left for the decapitation scene, just screams set-up. But how is it that none of her people noticed the set-up or found a better place for the interview. For all of her supposed political savvy this was a glaring mistake.
Set-up?
1) It's the politician that directs the media as to the LOCATION of the interview. It was up to Palin or her "people" to direct the press.
2) Palin looked over her shoulders and saw what was happening and she could also HEAR the blades going off. She is simply comfortable with killing animals, it's normal to her and not a big deal. I'm sure it's probably not a big deal in Alaska they kill animals for food all the time, it's mostly the lower 48 that had a problem with it.
Though I think Palin is a scourge & a sing of the times (in the worst way,) I also think it is really stupid & smug to criticize rural qualities that politicians have. You would have to be one seriously smug & disconnected journalist or commentator to not realize that lots of people in America live in rural areas & really celebrate the rural lifestyle, loving it with all their heart.
How exactly do you think your turkey gets to your dinner plate anyway?
p.s. The way this turkey was raised & killed is sure a hell of a lot better & more humane that the factory farmed turkey & other food animals we eat in this country.
Typo: sing should be sign.
Holy cow what an idiot. And I thought Dubya was dumb. This lady is by far the most ignorant person ever to run for a national office.
You can't compare Palin's statements with Biden's. Biden has been around for almost 40 years and Palin has far surpassed his dumbest moments. The biggest difference is that Biden knows he makes mistakes and laughs at himself. Palin is too dumb to know she's making a fool of herself, and then blames all the "meanies" on the Left for "misquoting" her. In less than 1 year on the public radar, Palin has made more blunders and ohmygoddidshesaythat moments than even W made. In fact, she makes W look relatively intelligent. (I said "relatively.")
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My favorite is when Katie Couric asked her magazines she regularly read before she was tapped for V.P.
"Any of them all of them that has been placed before me [when I get my hair done at the Wasilla Beauty Shoppe. ['People', 'Entertainment Weekly', 'Glamour', 'Guns & Ammo'] All of them."
Sarah, Sarah, Sarah...
Idiot, idiot, idiot...
Not making excuses (sort of) for President Obama but I assume when he referred to 57 states he was including American territories such as Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Or maybe he really can't count. Who really knows?
When Katie Couric asked her where she gets her news from, she should have replied, "Certainly perpetually in 3rd place CBS, that has a history of using fake documents to discredit people!" BTW, Couric interviewed Biden during the campaign when he stated that "FDR got on the TV in 1929 to talk about the Great Depression." (I'm not making this up). Did she ask Biden where he may have gotten that peice of news?
Are you seriously saying that Couric was hard on Palin?...Everyone has to tip-toe around that stupid solipsistic red-neck...Biden laid off during their debate just because he didn't want to look like a bully.
I did not say Couric was hard on Palin. She merely asked her questions that she wouldn't dare ask Obama or Biden. "Where do you get your news from?" Plus the fact that Biden has been in politics for 40 years (with 2 failed runs for POTUS) and Obama had been campaigning for a good two years, Palin was a newcomer to the national stage and isn't a llowed to blow an interview? I saw Obama claim he visited 57 states, Biden calling Obama Barack America, saying Obama has an answer for the economy, "Three letters, J-O-B-S." But that's OK. They're allowed to gak it, but Palin isn't allowed to.
For the #2 video with the Masked Avengers, in the beginning I did feel sorry for her. However, after they mentioned the PM of Quebec, I thought she would've recognized that it was a prank. There's no such thing as a PM of Quebec. It's like saying there the President of Florida.
I suspect the 57 states thing was a joke? Hah hah funny?
I also suspect Mr Biden knows better than to say "Four letters!..." That's a classic reference to sex, people, and I doubt that connection would go over well.
A lot of Joe's so called gaffes are actually very sly tricks to control conversations. 30 years in the Beltway as an actual idiot? Try again! Every pol has a style; I've seen a variety in the spread of long term office holders in my family (from US Senator down to iron fist in the velvet glove Earl of a rural county for 45 years) and every single one of them had different methods of charming the voters and controlling a room. For Senator Biden it's apparently playing the fool. And making much better word choices than most realize.
Sarah Palin has no tools or quick thinking- she's probably relied on looks and some basic charm in the two very easy jobs she's held. Governor of Alaska doesn't look to be Governor of California in any way, and word is she couldn't get re elected anyway.
Oh God, it's going to be all Sarah all week isn't it. She and the media LOVE to hate each other...get a room!
Thank you.
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