THE PALIN TANGO

I am not a fan of the America Has Talent, Canadian Idol or any of that genre of television.  In fact ,I avoid these shows like the plague.

However, the couple of times that Newfoundlanders have been in contention on Idol, I found myself sucked into the vortex. My wife and I diligently voted on-line or by phone to help one of our own rise to the top. Even our premier got in on the act.  A sense of pride, supporting one of our own as a bloc of votes was the priority. Outnumbered in the nation as a whole, we had impact by standing united behind our own.

There was no hesitation. Despite the fact that we might have been awed by another performer, many of us still carried the flag. Talent was important but not as important as helping one our own make it to the top. When one of ours fails to make it to the top it is very easy to rationalize that it is because we are such a small part of the countries population. That the cream never gets a chance to rise to the top.

There is a very similar thing happening in America. The daughter of Sarah Palin is winning Dancing With the Stars despite the fact that critics and professionals admit that she is not a great dancer. Better dancers are getting voted off the show every week because American's, at least a solid proportion of them, love Sarah Palin.

Bristol Palin's first came to our attention when her mommy, the Governor of Alaska  was selected to be John McCain's Vice-Presidential running mate. She might have remained in the background had she not had the misfortune (or fortune) to become a a single teenage parent during the election campaign. She became a public advocate for abstinence, started a PR company and is on the speakers circuit. Talk about turning republican lemons into lemonade!

Her successful run on Dancing With Stars has been controversial because apparently she sucks as a dancer gaining poor marks from judges but surviving because a huge bloc of people in the Tea Party Movement are pushing her along. No doubt there are others who see controversy and are voting for it her to stir the pot.  The fact remains that dancers with higher scores get voted off each week, while the much weaker Palin dances on.

I must confess, I have never watched an episode of the show. I am tempted to watch the next one just to see for myself how terrible Bristol really is.

What really interests me is how the Palin's have been so successful at establishing their brand and maintaining the zealous support of a large group of American voters. For some this is a dry run for the Republican nod and the presidency. 


I just think it is a sad reflection of the state of democracy.


Only in America you say, but how many of us are  guilty of shortchanging real talent for an alterior motive.