Privacy and Publicity at the GOP Convention
The McCain/Palin campaign has called for the media (and nearabouts the entire nation/globe at this point) to give some privacy to Bristol Palin.
The 17-year-old can’t be feeling so amazing at the moment, what with all the spotlight, insinuations and the like. [And can I just say re: my previous post, that the deliciousness is in the irony of Palin's policy stances, not in the plight of the girl herself.]
So, who thought it was a clever idea to invite Bristol Palin’s boyfriend to the RNC?
I can see the appeal in getting them all together for Palin’s speech tomorrow night. Getting the whole happy (if a little shell-shocked/shotgunny) family together onstage tomorrow night might seem like a way to try to put this horror of a five days behind them.
Instead, I bet it’s just going to inspire another insane round of photos, and exposes on the baby-bump and related, obsessive nonsense.
But, again, we have the disconnect that underlines this entire situation. They want privacy when it suits, publicity when it might help.
It’s the same idea behind the campaign’s lauding of Bristol Palin for her ‘choice’ in keeping the baby: celebration of a choice that would be denied to women all across America should McCain/Palin get their way.
Instead, the campaign is going to try to use this girl to their advantage, whilst crying ‘foul’ to anyone who seeks to debate this issues that arise from it.
If they trot her out tomorrow, boyfriend in tow, that’s really poor form.
[Oh, and can HuffPost and everyone else please stop using the term 'baby daddy'? That shit is taaaacky.]
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September 4th, 2008 at 5:46 am
I like what you say about choice. Very good point. And very well said.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:31 am
The Republicans taking advantage? No!! Have a look at those oh-so-tactful images of McCain being greeted by the Palins and [ahem - tackiness ahead] Bristol’s “baby daddy” at the airport.
What McCain really thinks about the circus his campaign has become is clearly reflected in the tense muscles in his neck and face - esp. the cheek. Not a happy man there.
September 4th, 2008 at 8:59 am
Thanks, Dina.
Oooh, pic at the airport. McCain looks like he wants to rip that kid’s arm off and beat them all to death with it. (Though I think the cheek thing is his health-related stuff.)
Steph, please tell me you’re in today so we can watch the speech. It’ll be like the Obama ones, but with different kinds of tears.
September 4th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
No, outside of that you can see the muscles in his face are tense and angry looking - find a front-on shot and you’ll see what I mean! It’s exactly the forced smile that comes with thinking you want to beat a group of people to death with a young hockey player’s arm.
Sorry missed speech - going to watch it now. Went to see Simon Cottle in the flesh instead. As always he was fan-tastic.