Palin's Turkey Pardon

Despite Tina Fey's reluctance to play Sarah Palin for the next 4-8 years had she and John McCain won the election I don't think anyone can argue that it wouldn't have been great for the comedy industry; Barack Obama is just so hard to make fun of effectively and as I've said before, I'm really going to miss George W. Bush on some level.

In the video below Palin has just finished pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey in Wasilla, Alaska in her role as governor; it's a traditional, feel good, media fluff photo-op that presidents and governors have participated in for many decades but here's where her's differs from most: she chooses to give a post pardon interview on live television in front of a guy killing and exsanguinating other turkeys. Check it out:

Now I don't have a problem with the killing and eating of animals; in fact, my own personal motto has always been: "If it had parents, I'll eat it". And from what I've heard she knew full well what was going on behind her and didn't have a problem with it. I think that it's actions like this that caused the American public to be simultaneously enamored of her and terrified at the prospect of her gaining higher office.

Again, I don't have a problem with the slaughter of turkeys for food as long as it's done quickly and humanely and I actually do admire her "well, if you don't like it: fuck you!" attitude about this; too many people in this country have become willfully ignorant of the fact that their protein actually comes from animal flesh. I have a buddy who doesn't like to eat drumsticks because the tendons feel weird and freak him out, to which I always reply, "Yeah, no shit: that's because it used to be an animal's leg, dude".

The thing that causes me to once again shake my head about this woman is the utter lack of political and media savvy she is constantly displaying as a high level elected official; yes, we kill animals for their meat and yes, it's not something that should be hidden or covered up (MSNBC won't show the video without blurring out the thrashing, dying fowls) but if the main crux of the event is your ceremonial, symbolic saving of a turkey's life don't do an interview for it in front of other turkeys being executed.

The American Humane Society estimates that we euthanize about 4 million dogs and cats in shelters every year; it's reality, it's a big problem and obviously we need to do more to prevent this from happening but when Barack Obama takes his daughters to a shelter soon to pick up their new puppy, does anyone really expect that he'd be stupid enough to talk to reporters about it while standing in front of a row of dogs being given lethal injections? As I've said before, I really think we dodged a huge bullet by not electing this woman to federal office.