Amused Cynic

I’m starting this post a little prematurely (I’ve got a bunch more written on NotePad), but I wanted to get this out there early: Chris, now that I’m a “Damon-level” contributor to DbD, I feel entitled to the occasional critique. Sarah Palin is at least as hot as the other ladies in your strip, and I think your beta version makes her look too much like Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

OK, back to work. Will post more on Palin/Gibson later this morning.

Here goes:
Isn’t this new media age weird? Sarah Palin’s “20/20″ interview is scheduled to air tonight, but everyone’s already seen/read it and commented on it. Wild. I saw a bunch of it before I went to bed last night, and here are my thoughts. First of all, Charlie Gibson is like a very annoying Katie Couric in a pants-suit.
ADDENDUM: Did you notice how much Charlie Gibson resembled Wile E. Coyote’s crotchety uncle? ?

Second, the one word that came through over and over was “blink,” and she made it clear that she doesn’t blink. Not when committing the ancient Greek sin of “hubris,” as Charlie Gibson asserted, not when facing down those pesky Russkies when they invade their neighbors. “You don’t blink.” I liked that a lot.

She reminded me of a line from the classic film “The Hustler.” Paul Newman is playing the role of Fast Eddie Felson, a small-time but highly-skilled pool player who dreams of one day setting up a game with Minnesota Fats. At one point, he plays another young hustler who tries to hustle him. He reacts angrily…”I don’t rattle, punk….OK, just for that, I’m going to run the table.” He then drops the facade of mediocrity and sinks every ball on the table, and everyone in the room realizes they’re dealing with a shrewd player who is exponentially better than they are. So they take him out into the alley and break his thumbs, hoping that thus crippled, they won’t have to face him again. This is what the MSM is trying to do to Sarah Palin. If they can cripple her, they won’t have to face her in a fair competition. Paul Newman says to Piper Laurie (interesting that Sarah has a daughter named Piper, huh?–and that Newman’s girlfriend, played by Piper Laurie, is named Sarah…): “Why’d I do it, Sarah, Why’d I do it? He’s talking about “blowing his cover,” and letting people see how skilled he really is.

Here’s the scene: [to see the YouTube clip, go here: it starts at about 4:20 or so.]

SARAH
Does it bother you? What he said?

EDDIE
Yeah.
(after a pause)
Yeah. It bothers me a lot.
(pause)
‘Cause, you see, twice, Sarah —
once at Ames with Minnesota Fats and
then again at Arthur’s…
(sits up)
…in that cheap, crummy poolroom…
Now, why’d I do it, Sarah? Why’d I
do it? I coulda beat that guy, I
coulda beat him cold. He never woulda
known. But I just had to show ‘em, I
just had to show those creeps and
those punks what the game is like
when it’s great, when it’s really
great. You know, like anything can
be great — anything can be great…
I don’t care, bricklaying can be
great. If a guy knows. If he knows
what he’s doing and why, and if he
can make it come off. I mean, when
I’m goin’ — when I’m really goin’ —
I feel like…
(beat)
…like a jockey must feel. He’s
sittin’ on his horse, he’s got all
that speed and that power underneath
him, he’s comin’ into the stretch,
the pressure’s on him — and he knows —
just feels — when to let it go, and
how much. ‘Cause he’s got everything
workin’ for him — timing, touch.
It’s a great feeling, boy, it’s a
real great feeling when you’re right,
and you know you’re right. It’s like
all of a sudden I got oil in my arm.
Pool cue’s part of me. You know,
it’s a — pool cue’s got nerves in
it. It’s a piece of wood — it’s got
nerves in it. You feel the roll of
those balls. You don’t have to look.
You just know. Ya make shots that
nobody’s ever made before. And you
play that game the way nobody’s ever
played it before.

They’re not going to break Sarah’s thumbs, not while I’m in the pool hall.

The Anchoress has rolling updates, and was also annoyed by the “hubris” comment.

Neo-neocon notices Charlie Gibson’s annoyingly Inquisitorial manner. “She must be made of sterner stuff….Put her in…..THE COMFY CHAIR….and POKE HER….with the SOFT CUSHION!!!!.”

UPDATE: Oh, and as a Monty Python fan, how could I possibly have forgotten to point out that Sarah has the same name as Michael Palin in the Spanish Inquisition sketch? Let’s see….Sarah, Piper, Palin…how many little hints do we need before we all realize that karma is happening in this election? That the Democrats and the MSM have forgotten two of the most important maxims from the “Roadrunner” cartoon show? Namely: “Make sure you are not standing UNDER the dehydrated boulder when it is RE-hydrated…”

And, most importantly: ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT!!!!

Tom Maguire asks the really important question: “Geez, maybe Palin is ready to be Vice President and maybe she’s not, but is ABC qualified to interview Vice Presidents?”