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Makeover
I listened to an interview of Gov. Sarah Palin on Fox Radio (Sirius) today and was struck with the change from what I had heard before. He voice was more melodic, and her thoughts were expressed in clear sentences. A lot of the rural folksy speech mannerisms were almost completely absent. She didn’t say “you betcha” even once. In a relatively small number of days, she has transformed herself to sound more like a vice president and less like a clueless hockey mom. She has acquired some dignity and gravitas. It is obvious that the GOP has gone all-out to upgrade her public image. It’s a multi-front attack and the $150,000 campaign wardrobe is only part of it. Like a movie star, she is traveling with a personal makeup artist and hair stylist. She now has a drama coach and the results were evident in her speaking voice. Today’s interview was an easy lift for her because the questions were based on the talking points that she and John McCain address in there rallies and stump speeches; and consequently she was confident and poised and didn’t need to deflect questions or segue to a safe topic. She likened her new wardrobe to the expensive stage lighting the GOP buys to make them look good – just props. She’s the same woman underneath it all, and prefers her own ordinary clothes. Columnist Maureen Dowd wrote, “… with the economy cratering and the McCain campaign running on an “average Joe” theme, dunderheaded [McCain] aides, led by the former Bushies Nicolle Wallace and Tracey Schmitt, costumed their Eliza Doolittle for a ball when she should have been dressing for a bailout.” Frankly, I don’t think the McCain campaign is that dumb. They may have been blinded by their anxiety over her lack of presidential bearing and her woeful absence of depth. They were focused on stage-managing the public’s perception of Sarah Palin. If they could make her look and sound the part, and if they can keep her away from hardball interviewers, maybe, just maybe they can blunt the negative impact that she has had on the campaign. I believe that the GOP decided to take the derisive publicity hit now, hoping that in the final week of the campaign the public will forget the old, authentic, Sarah Palin and be left with a more favorable impression as they go to vote.I give her credit for being a quick study and for not being shy, but good clothes don’t replace good qualifications. She looks the part; but for some of us (I hope most of us) perception is NOT reality.
