Sarah Palin Turkey Pardon Video Truly "Delicious Irony"

Who needs Tina Fey and "Saturday Night Live" to satirize your gaffes and questionable political stances or poke fun at your ridiculously exaggerated accent when you can make a complete fool of yourself on your own? And although Tina Fey may have announced that she has retired her too-real impression of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, it seems that Palin is more than happy to keep supplying the world with opportunities with which she can be ridiculed. Like, for instance, her latest photo op in her home town of Wasilla, Alaska.

Governor Sarah Palin was performing a turkey pardon, much like what the president does every year in Washington as part of the national celebration of theThanksgiving holiday. After reading a statement of amnesty and pardon, the governor chose a turkey that would escape this year's axe (or neck-wringing).

And that would have been the end of it if Sarah Palin had been cognizant of her surroundings during the subsequent interview. But, much like her Tina Fey counterpart, governor Sarah Palin slipped into clueless mode and began answering reporters questions while a gentleman who looked suspiciously like one of the Mario Brothers (Luigi perhaps?) smiled in the background as he wrung several turkeys' necks.

The term "delicious irony" took on an entirely new meaning...

The video of the Palin turkey pardon has gone viral. It is being shown everywhere. CNN's Anderson Cooper showed the video with a trace of mock seriousness. MSNBC went overboard with words like "gruesome" and warnings to ensure that parents not let their children see the video.

But it was not that terrible. Well, perhaps for the turkeys having their necks wrung in the background. But it isn't the most obvious series of killings one has ever seen.

In fact, it was almost like watching a Mel Brooks movie. Luigi (?) is standing about 20 feet behind and to Palin's left as she talks to reporters. How she misses him and what he is doing is amazing. But, like any good farcical comedy, Palin drones on and on in her fake-"Fargo"/ Frances McFarland accent about politics while Luigi performs in the background.

At one point, Palin even talks about bringing "levity" to politics with events such as the turkey pardon. Luigi turns and gives an exaggerated nod...

MSNBC's over-the-top airing of the video notwithstanding (they ran captions during the video like: "GOV. SARAH PALIN KEEPS TALKING WHILE TURKEYS GET SLAUGHTERED BEHIND HER", "TURKEYS DIE AS GOVERNOR PALIN TAKES QUESTIONS FROM MEDIA", and "GOV. PALIN APPARENTLY OBLIVIOUS TO TURKEY CARNAGE OVER HER SHOULDER"), the entire photo op has now become an example of the Sarah Palin method of politicking: Regardless of the reality of the situation, just keep hitting those talking points.

To repeat: Who needs Tina Fey when you can have the real Sarah Palin provide the comedy?

Over-the-top or not, MSNBC did make their point with one particularly punny caption: "TURKEY-KILLING FOWLS PALIN NEWS CONFERENCE."

Clueless? Perhaps. Oblivious? Most Definitely. Enamored with her own voice? Maybe. But governor Sarah Palin isn't doing her political career any favors with odd moments like this. And even though politics does lend itself to occasions of levity, it is best when the politician can come away from those moments without looking totally ridiculous.

If there is one thing that the Sarah Palin turkey pardon/ turkey killing video continues to tell us: Sarah Palin certainly does not need Tina Fey to make her look ridiculous.

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Sources:

Swamppolitics.com

MSNBC.com

Newsbusters.org