Monday, September 29, 2008

I'd like to use one of my lifelines. I'd like to phone a friend.

Ok, kids, here's a game for you that I'm calling Spot the SNL-writer! I'm going to give you three interview exchanges. Two of them are from the actual Katie Couric - Sarah Palin interview, and one is from this weekend's Saturday Night Live skit.

Exchange #1:

COURIC: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians

PALIN: We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state.

Exchange #2:

COURIC: But can you give me any other concrete examples? Because I know you’ve said Barack Obama is a lot of talk and no action. Can you give me any other examples in his 26 years of John McCain truly taking a stand on this?

PALIN: I can give you examples of things that John McCain has done, that has shown his foresight, his pragmatism, and his leadership abilities. And that is what America needs today.

COURIC: I’m just going to ask you one more time - not to belabor the point. Specific examples in his 26 years of pushing for more regulation.

PALIN: I’ll try to find you some and I’ll bring them to you.

Exchange #3:

COURIC: Why isn’t it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries? Allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy? Instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

PALIN: That’s why I say, I, like every American I’m speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the tax payers looking to a bailout.

But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up the economy– Helping the — Oh, it’s got to be about job creation too. Shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americas.

And trade we’ve got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive scary thing. But 1 in 5 jobs being created in the trade sector today. We’ve got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation.

This bailout is a part of that.


Think you got it? Not that easy, is it? Well, I cheated. All three are from the actual Palin interview, but many of her answers were used pretty much verbatim in the SNL skit. You know you're not at the top of your game when some of the funniest parts of a parody of you are simply quoting you.




On a related note, I'm still not sure who was more coherent: Ms. Palin or Miss Teen USA from South Carolina.

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