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2009-12-07 Home Front: Politix

[The Gridiron Club, founded in 1865, is the oldest and most prestigious journalist organization in Washington DC. The annual Gridiron Dinner is attended by the media elite, at which the president is traditionally the speaker. This year, President Zero was the first president to refuse to address The Gridiron Dinner since Grover Cleveland.

[Last night, Saturday December 5th, the black tie dinner at the ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel had double the attendance of recent years - for instead of Zero, the speaker was Sarah Palin. The tradition of the dinner is that the speaker pokes fun at himself and the attendees. Sarah was such a hit there were dozens of the most liberal elite journalists in America laughing their heads off, many wiping tears of laughter from their eyes. Here's her speech. It is as clever as it is funny.]
Here's some of it -- rest is at link -- worth the read
Good evening. It's great to be in Washington. I am loving the weather [it was snowing]. I braved the elements and went out for a jog! Or, as Newsweek calls it, a cover-shoot. I feel so at home here in DC. I can see the Russian Embassy from my hotel room!

It's a privilege to be here tonight at the Washington DC Barnes & Noble. Tonight, I'll be reading excerpts from my new book. Perhaps you've heard of it? "Going Rogue."

Yukon wasn't sure if I'd go with that title and somebody suggested I follow the East Coast self-help trend and go with, "How To Look Like A Million Bucks...For Only 150 Grand."

Todd liked, "The Audacity of North Slope." [She nods to him as he's at the head table]

Hey, I considered not having a title at all. I've said it before, but you Beltway types just don't seem to get it. You don't need a title to make an impact. But anyway, let's get started.

I'll begin my first reading on Page 209.

It was pitch black when we touched down in Arizona late on August 27, 2008. The next morning we drove to John McCain's ranch in Sedona. John was waiting on the porch. Before he can say a word, I tell him, I'm quoting now,

"I know why I'm here, and I'm ready. But, I'm worried. The cost of credit protection for the largest U.S. banks is rising precipitously. Have you given any thought to the run on the entities in the parallel banking system? Do you realize the vulnerability created when these institutions borrow short term in liquid markets to invest long term in illiquid assets?"

John said, "you betcha!" I thought, "you betcha?" Who talks that way?

Well, sometimes you just have to trust your instincts. When you don't, you end up in places like this. Who would have guessed that I'd be palling around with this group? At least now I can put a face to all the newspapers I do read.

It is good to be here and in front of this audience of leading journalists and intellectuals. Or, as I call it, a death panel.

To be honest, I had some serious reservations about coming to visit your cozy little club. The Gridiron still hasn't offered membership to anyone from my hometown paper in Wasilla, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley Frontiersman. And my dad thought it was just a plain bad idea to leave the book tour for some football game.

He might have a point! [She waves to her parents at a table at the back of the room] Hi, Dad! Hi, Mom! They crashed the party, you know.
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Posted by Sherry 2009-12-07 10:28|| || Front Page|| [19 views ] Top

#1 she's poison

Posted by 746 2009-12-07 12:07|| 2009-12-07 12:07|| Front Page Top

#2 Poison for seagulls, perhaps.

Posted by Gabby 2009-12-07 12:52|| 2009-12-07 12:52|| Front Page Top

#3 This year, President Zero was the first president to refuse to address The Gridiron Dinner since Grover Cleveland.

What's the problem? Wouldn't they let him use his teleprompter?

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2009-12-07 13:17|| 2009-12-07 13:17|| Front Page Top

#4 Nope, EU6305. He found out there wasn't an award, or anyone to apologize to. What's the point?

Posted by Cornsilk Blondie 2009-12-07 13:39|| 2009-12-07 13:39|| Front Page Top

#5 I think it has to do with being funny. In his mind everything he says is pure-gold wisdom.

Posted by whitecollar redneck 2009-12-07 16:48|| 2009-12-07 16:48|| Front Page Top

#6 My guess is that he heard that Sarah was going to be there. Kind of a Vampire - Cross sort of thing.....

Posted by CrazyFool 2009-12-07 16:53|| 2009-12-07 16:53|| Front Page Top

#7 Why did Sarah attend the gridiron dinner anyway? These so called media elites are the problem. Why give them any time?

Posted by Alaska Paul 2009-12-07 18:07|| 2009-12-07 18:07|| Front Page Top

#8 She has to tame the media elites some. She'll never have them on her side but she has to charm them enough for them not to want her blood. A good charm offensive is central to any conservative with national prospects. See Reagan and Dubya as examples of conservative pols who charmed the press, at least until they got elected.

Posted by Steve White 2009-12-07 18:13|| 2009-12-07 18:13|| Front Page Top

#9 Maybe so, Dr. Steve. But my attitude toward them is that THEY are half the problem. My attitude is to bypass them like Rabaul and Truck Island in WW2 and let them wither on the vine.

I just do not have the patience to charm a$$holes like these people. That is why I am not in politics and why I avoid Washington, D.C. like the plague. Sometime I will tell you how I really feel.
/heh

Posted by Alaska Paul 2009-12-07 18:37|| 2009-12-07 18:37|| Front Page Top

#10 the media are deathly afraid of her popularity, and ability to start the memes (see: "death panels") that hurt their agenda and are out of their control. The best thing she can do is approach them unafraid and mock them as she did, with a smile and a joke.

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2009-12-07 18:50|| 2009-12-07 18:50|| Front Page Top

#11 The best thing she can do is approach them unafraid and mock them as she did Then of course, once she has gone into the den of lions & come out alive, she will have even more stories to tell & better jokes to make about them. That approach can be used to build on itself.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2009-12-07 19:05|| 2009-12-07 19:05|| Front Page Top

#12 One of the things I like about Sarah Palin (and George W Bush) is that they don't seem to take themselves too seriously. They aren't afraid to poke fun at themselves. When Bush went last year (or the year before) he took along one of those look alike comedians who acted like his "internal voice", hitting all the stereotypes: Bush is stupid, Bush is tongue tied, etc. I thought it was hilarious.
Obama, however, seems to take himself waaaay too seriously - I can't see him ever poking fun at himself, or allowing anyone to make fun of him. Of course, some of the comedians (and SNL) are starting to poke fun at him. I can't wait until he declares them "not a real network" or lashes out in some other way.

Posted by Rambler in Virginia">Rambler in Virginia 2009-12-07 21:56|| 2009-12-07 21:56|| Front Page Top

#13 In other words Rambler - they know that 'its not all about them'.

Posted by CrazyFool 2009-12-07 22:58|| 2009-12-07 22:58|| Front Page Top

03:50 Grom the reflective
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02:41 badanov
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00:50 DarthVader
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