Advice For The Obama Camp

[poliphilo]

"You Brits will never get Sarah Palin" reads a headline in this morning's Telegraph.  But I do. At least I think I do. After all, I grew up watching westerns. Every time I go "ooh!" and "ah!" over a John Ford movie I'm buying into the myth that sustains her.

The USA is a country very close to its origins- both historically and emotionally- and Palin- as the gun and Bible-toting mayor of a small town in one of the few corners of the country that can still plausibly be described as wilderness- is a figure out of that not-so-remote and sainted past. She brings with her the fresh breeze of the frontier. Of course the frontier wasn't really so innocent.or so heroic. The pioneers were driven by greed and acted as the agents of genocide.  But who wants fact when they can have myth?

So if I were a wonk in the Obama camp I'd be doing all I could to grab my boy a piece of the action. I'd use Palin's background against her and be painting the Republicans as the corrupt establishment of the mythical small town. I'd cast them as the range-enclosing cattle baron, the cheating saloon owner, the corrupt sherrif, the guy who sells the Indians rifles and whisky-  and my candidate as the lonesome stranger riding in to clean up the mess. I'd have him be Henry Fonda's Wyatt Earp.

Comments

[momof2girls.livejournal.com]

You make some good points. Obama is really going to have to take some decisive action to counter the effect of Sarah Palin, which I'm surprised is as positive as has been.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Have you been following the money on the financial sector meltdown here? Hint: Obama got a bundle from them, and he even hired a former director of Fannie Mae to vet his vp candidates.

Meet the new sheriff, just like the old sheriffs.

[oakmouse]

*splorf* This is too good.

It also reminds me of Blazing Saddles. *g*

[brttvns.livejournal.com]

Yes, beloved Ford - 'Print the legend' (The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance).
Unfortunately Palin is very real, no matter how mythical and Homeric we may wish her to be (she is the creationist's Joan Crawford to the scientist's Bette Davis).
Not sure about Obama being Fonda's Wyatt Earp (My Darling Clementine is one Ford film I have issues with - as great as it is - in its historical accuraccy I mean). Film references aside let's just hope Obama is quick enough on the draw, and has a Doc Holiday to help him defeat the Clantons (or should that be Clampetts?)
Cheers
Brett

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

Sarah Palin as Cat Ballou... or Calamity Jane!

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

Well, the Republicans got a bit of a "bounce" from all the excitement over Palin's nomination. However, this morning the polls show that McCain's weeklong lead in the polls has disappeared and he and Obama are now even. I expect the trend to continue and to see Obama back in a small but comfotable lead within another week.
Palin is an "empty suit", and the American people usually get pretty tired of a novelty very quickly.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

Tony, we're all talking about this Saturday Night Live skit, featuring Tina Fey's interpretation of Sarah Palin. It's really uncanny, and extremely funny!

[senordildo.livejournal.com]

The only Palin who deserves to be Vice-President is named Michael.
Have you seen Ford's second version of Wyatt Earp, played by Jimmy Stewart in Cheyenne Autumn? It's a wonderful 10 minute cameo in an otherwise heavy and joyless film.