Sub prima donna of politics

You may call Alaska’s Sarah Palin by many names: Rani of Recession, Diva of Depression, Sultana of Slowdown. Perhaps the apt label would be Sub Prima Donna, for her rare ability to trigger a smile in the era of despair. One thing’s sure: Sarah’s US and the world, like the first docudrama I saw, Nanook of the North, is slipping into an igloo economy. At least that’s what the world fears.

In the igloo economy, freeze, austerity and innovation are daily rituals. Perhaps the world has a lot to learn from Nanook.

Sarah’s Alaska, now an oil economy, is anything but that. Yet the Republican vice-presidential candidate brings in a breath of fresh air in a world starved of good news. If Barak Obama has broken the pattern, Sarah Palin has changed the orbit of presidency.

Are we imagining things? Or has Sarah really given us a break from ‘depression economics’ or ‘arrogance of power’? Has her folksy, irreverent tone shattered the peace and calm of the cynic? Has her polished charm and naïve exuberance given inexperience a great new hope in the leadership sweepstakes? Her arrival is Hollywoodish, much like Grace Kelly’s in Rear Window. She arrives to add colour and gait to a limping presidency. But what happens next is anybody’s guess.

Will she become veep? Who cares? Margaret Thatcher is reported to have said: “On my way here I passed a local cinema and it turned out you were expecting me after all, for the billboard read: The Mummy Returns.”

In a sense, we were expecting Sarah.

I asked a bunch of GenY-ers what they thought of Sarah. Of course, to be fair to Sarah, I have chosen sound-bites which had something quite different to say.

“Oh, she’s so very cool, such a smarty. Why are they witch-hunting her? We wish we had a politician like her in India.”

“I saw the veep debate and thought she had the edge. She was in top form. Like Priyanka Chopra in Drona, fighting a lone battle for box-office honours…”

“She is very fashionable. With the little experience she has, to be out there, it’s very gutsy.”

“I just googled Sarah Palin. And I did that in the morning, when America was sleeping. There were 63.6 million results. Try Aishwarya Rai; you’ll get 6.75 million. That gives you an idea about her www dominance.”

“Sarah symbolises a global economy that can do no wrong. It is the best way to deal with any crisis. So, if you are planning to cut spending or postpone purchases, my super suggestion: please watch Sarah Palin take on the veterans. You’ll get your dose of prozac.”

“I love seeing Austin Stevens searching giant anacondas on Animal Planet. But give me an opportunity to watch Sarah versus Biden, I will let go of the reptiles.” 

 “The last time I was impressed with a female performance was Cameron Diaz’s in Charlie’s Angels. I now believe that Sarah was born with iron gloves.”

“Her performance has been inspiring, to say the least. When she first surfaced in the vice-presidential race, we all said inexperience would do her in. Just see what happened: after a few days of training, she is able to take on the world. She makes vice-presidency look so easy. Even if she does not become the veep, she has taught me a lot: you can ride out boos and barbs by just being yourself.” 

Politics is a palindrome. Anyway you see it, or read it, it’s the same. It’s new oil in old barrel. But before you start believing in the futility of politics, enjoy the entrée. Like
Grace Kelly’s in Rear Window, Sarah Palin’s appearance could be memorable. Here are two of her top quotes to keep you wondering why Sarah is such an eyeball puller:

“It was rightly noted in Denver this week that Hillary (Clinton) left 18 million cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling in America. But it turns out the women of America aren’t finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all.

“Well, it’s always, though, safer in politics to avoid risk, to just kind of go along with the status quo. But I didn’t get into government to do the safe and easy things.”

Do you still believe that American politics is doing a “sarah-kiri”?       

Email: vinaykamat@dnaindia.net