Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live

October 20, 2008 by 19 Comments

It takes a lot of character to defy your critics by walking into their midst. A good way to handle mockery is to play along, fighting humor with humor. That’s what Sarah Palin did in appearing on “Saturday Night Live.” She acquitted herself well in some funny, though silly, sketches. Here they are:

For the words to the Sarah Palin rap–which are very, very funny–go here.

Filed Under: Humor, Politics, television 19 Comments

About Gene Veith

Professor of Literature at Patrick Henry College, the Director of the Cranach Institute at Concordia Theological Seminary, a columnist for World Magazine and TableTalk, and the author of 18 books on different facets of Christianity & Culture.

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  • http://gpiper.org/katiesbeer TK

    I missed the sketches on Saturday night (decided to watch Young Frankenstein to escape politics for a night). Thank you for posting the sketches here! How funny!!! Sarah Palin’s is obviously a natural on television; guess her experience of TV sports anchor prepared her. And what a great sense of humor. Although I don’t agree with all of her political and religious stances, I am still very impressed with how she has conducted herself, excelled in all things and has given herself to service. I think she’d make a fine vice-president and even president; if not this year then surely in four years when I predict we’ll be screaming for relief. ;)

  • Carl Vehse

    …if we are still allowed to scream by then.

  • Carl Vehse

    Here’s the link to Gov. Palin’s opening routine (along with Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin).

    Palin gave SNL its highest ratings since 1994 (when knee-bashed Nancy Kerrigan and Aretha Franklin were on).

  • Bryan Lindemood

    Too funny! Especially the moose-huntin’ rap.

    Was listening to an NPR piece about religion and thought Rod Dreher’s comment that people on the right really don’t care about Palin’s religion because she is and comes across as such a “red-blooded American.” I think that’s right. That is what attracts many to her besides the perception that she’s “hot.”

  • http://gpiper.org/katiesbeer TK

    Did anyone else notice that when the two were closer together that they are not as similar as we thought? Of course, Fey is doing a caricature, but Palin’s voice is so much more deep and soft, and her facial expressions are not so contorted. And for the first time, I was stuck by how beautiful and poised Palin is. Not that beauty makes a good leader, of course.

  • Carl Vehse

    On another blog site someone made the comment that Tina Fey seems to add a little Rosanne Barr sound to her Sarah Palin impersonation. But Tina did deliver a great line in her skit:

    “Then also too you have states like Ohio and Pennsylvania and Florida which could be real, real anti- American, or real, real pro-American… it’s up to them.” [wink!]

    You betcha!

  • FW

    I want to address the racial aspect the news is covering. I was hoping that it would stop, but then I was thinking on something sent to me and what has been really concerning.
    If Obama and McCain traded places:

    What if things were switched around? Think about it. Would the country’s
    collective point of view be different?

    What if the Obamas had paraded five children across the stage, following
    the debate, including a three month-old infant and an unwed, pregnant
    teenage daughter?

    What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law Review?

    What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his college
    graduating class?

    What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?

    What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long affair while he was still married?

    What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted to pain
    killers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable
    organization?

    What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?

    What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five?
    (The Keating Five were five United States Senators accused of corruption in 1989, igniting a major political scandal as part of the larger Savings and Loan crisis of the late 1980s and early 1990s.)

    What if Obama couldn’t read from a teleprompter?

    What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included
    discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?

    What if Obama was the one who was known to publicly display a serious anger management problem?

    What if Michelle Obama’s family had made their money from beer distribution?

    You could easily add to this list. If these questions reflected a reality, if the tables were turned, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as th ey are?

    This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes
    qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative characteristics in
    another when there is a color difference.

    And, think of this – the candidates’ educational backgrounds:

    Barack Obama:
    Columbia University – B. A. Political Science with a Specialization in
    International Relations.
    Harvard – Juris Doctor (J. D.) Magna Cum Laude

    Joseph Biden:
    Unive rsity of Delaware – B. A. in History and B. A. in Political Science.
    Syracuse University College of Law – Juris Doctor (J. D.)

    John McCain:United States Naval Academy – Class rank: 894 of 899

    Sarah Palin: Hawaii Pacific University – 1 semester
    North Idaho College – 2 semesters – general study
    University of Idaho – 2 semesters – journalism
    Matanuska-Susitna College – 1 semester
    University of Idaho – 3 semesters – B. A. in Journalism

    Education isn’t everything, but this is about the two highest offices in
    the land as well as our standing in the world.

    You make the call.

  • Carl Vehse

    FW’s “what if” red herrings would be good for some Twilight Zone episodes, but are irrelevant for a Cranach thread discussing Gov. Palin’s SNL appearance .

    And throwing out the race card is getting pretty old. It’s not meaningful here; maybe FW can get some mileage by throwing it at the Hillary crowd.

    As for the Keating 5, Senators Glenn and McCain were cleared of any impropriety, rule violation, or criminal charges; McCain does admit using poor judgment by meeting with regulators. If you personally thought he should have gone to jail, then don’t vote for him, but don’t pass on personal judgments as canon.

    Regarding education, it is also important how people have used, applied and expand their education over the years, whether performing work as a senator or a governor.

    As it is, FW’s off-topic conjectures provide nothing to support lying and pro-murder-by-abortion candidates from the gutter of leftist politics.

  • http://gpiper.org/katiesbeer TK

    Frank, educational elitism is one of my pet peeves, state university graduate that I am. I doubt Harvard was an option for a female basketball player and daughter of a teacher from Alaska. She was a girl who dreamed of going to Hawaii for college and then didn’t like it. So what? The fact that she attended several different colleges within Idaho and Alaska, successfully completing each semester, tells me that she was searching for something. Think of the many professors, students and campuses she had to successfully negotiate! How many of us college grads relied on taking classes from profs who knew and already liked our work. I can’t imagine having to prove yourself over and over at new schools. Frank, I actually like her even more now based on what you’ve just told me, right-wing Christian mouthpiece that she is. In contrast, Barack Obama seems to have lived a favorite status among the liberal elite from a young adult age.

    Following your exercise, “This is what educational elitism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative characteristics in another when there is a educational difference.”

  • kerner

    Gee Frank:

    I don’t know if I’ll have the time you must have had to devote to this, but:

    What if John McCain had begun his political career during an association with a terrorist who blew up government buildings (say, Timothy McVeigh)?

    What if John McCain’s pastor of 20 years had spent those 20 years preaching that Black people were the enemy of white people?

    What if a convicted felon had helpd John McCain pay for his first (and right nice) home?

    What if John McCain’s early career had (instead of being in the U. S. Navy) had included suing Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac to make them give out more sub-prime mortgage loans?

    What if John McCain had reneged on a promise to accept public financing and raised hundrends of millions of dollars (much of which comes in the form of contributions small enough that the contributor need not be identified) instead?

    What if John McCain’s old client, ACORN, were registering fraudulent voters, such as the Dallas Cowboys being registered in Las Vegas?

    What if John and Cindy McCain had refused to allow the public to read any of their theses written while they were in their ivy league schools of which they were so proud?

    What if Sarah Palin had been on the record as saying that John McCain was unqualified for president?

    What if John McCain had put a quasi presidential seal on his podiums?

    What if Michelle Obama had traveled to Bangla Desh on a humanitarian mission and had come back with two Bangla Deshi orphans, one of whon the Obamas adopted and one of whom she convinced a friend to adopt?

    What if Sarah Palin had made as much money as Joe Biden has over the past few years, but given as little to charity?

    What if Sarah Palin, after promoting herself as foreign policy expert, had claimed the the United States and France had kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon and proposed that Nato Troops be sent there?

    What if Joe Biden, or Barack Obama for that matter, had been mayor or Governor of ANYTHING?

    Oh, #%&*, I’m running out of time.

  • kerner

    P.S.

    This blog has a largely Lutheran readership, Frank. Distributing beer is a positive (although I may concede that distributing Budwiser may convert that to a negative).

  • Carl Vehse

    Anyone who wants to know what a kakistocratic comedy (if not a Greek tragedy) an 0bamessiah administration might be should read
    The Kennedy-Khrushchev Conference for Dummies:
    Remedial history for Barack Obama     by Scott W. Johnson.

    Concerning Kennedy’s response following the disasterous 1961 meeting (that occurred without preconditions) Johnson notes: Persuaded that he needed further to demonstrate “fearlessness and backbone,” in the words of William Manchester, Kennedy observed to Reston that the only place where the Communists were challenging the West in a shooting war was in Southeast Asia. Summarizing Kennedy’s own evaluation of the aftermath of the Vienna conference in his 2003 biography of Kennedy, Robert Dallek writes that Kennedy “now needed to convince Khrushchev that he could not be pushed around, and the best place currently to make U.S. power credible seemed to be in Vietnam.”

    And we all know what a hilarious time we had from that.

  • jim_claybourn

    “FW”

    as usual, another strawman argument. Did you get this off the daily DNC talking points, or the Daily KOS?

    Don’t accuse me of being racist because I don’t fall hook line and sinker for Obama.

    I have voted for Alan Keyes every opportunity that I have had. I would gladly vote for JC Watts, or any other person whose views match mine – regardless of their skin-color. Are these two men not “black” enough (read “liberal black”) for the Progressives (read “Socialists”)?

    Why do the Obamas hide anything and everything in their backgrounds that occured prior to their college graduations???

    They honestly scare me – I don’t know anything about them, other than waht they specifically reveal.

    Anyway, Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air, in many respects.

  • Michael the boot

    People tuned in to watch. There’s no way to tell WHY they did, but we can say with a fair degree of certainty it had nothing to do with her performance. People tune in BEFORE a performance. So what she DID on the show had very little to do with people tuning in.

  • Michael the boot

    Jim @ 14,

    “Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air, in many respects.”

    Could you explain in what respect she is a breath of fresh air? I’m not a fan, so I don’t fall for her on that basis. The only reason I see for people liking her is the same they had for Bush: she’s an unapologetic Christian. I understand if that’s the draw, but is that sufficient to call her a breath of fresh air in general? Shouldn’t a political candidate be a breath of fresh air in their POLICIES, rather than only in their personal opinions/beliefs?

    Is it just that she supports a constitutional ban on homosexual marriage?

  • jim_claybourn

    Maybe it’s just because she does says things that liberals get their shorts in a wad about.

    Small town background. Worked her way up the political ladder without the benefit of a “machine” or quotas. Not afraid to be a hunter. Pro-life. Proud of her background and upbringing. Not afraid to be politically incorrect. Played sports in school – state champs, in fact.

    Her candidacy points out the hypocrisy of the feminists, etc, who were crushed when Hillary bowed out, crying that their last best chance for a woman president was gone. Now that there is a woman in line for that office, she’s “not a woman” to them. Much like Keyes, Watts, and Thomas aren’t “black”.

    Policies can change at the drop of a poll number.

    Principles are what you are made of. From what I’ve seen in a couple months on the national stage, she has principles and they align pretty closely with mine.

    How in the world did homosexual marriage get into this thread ????????????????

    My noted response was in respect to the alleged racism of anyone who opposes Obama. As if that is the only reason anyone would oppose him!

  • http://gpiper.org/katiesbeer Theresa K.

    I second the refreshing breath of air, even though I abhor her “unapologetic” Evangelical blend of religion and politics. She’s smart, funny, witty, unpretentious, a great balancer of family, marriage and work, excellent role model for women, handles stress very well… the list could go on. Why aren’t those good qualities of an elected leader? I know more about her than I do Barack Obama. I don’t even know that I would vote for her as president. I’m not a true fan, but she’s definitely a breath of fresh air.

  • Michael the boot

    Jim @ 17,

    “Maybe it’s just because she does says things that liberals get their shorts in a wad about.” Telling. Very telling that is the first thing you say in your comment.

    “Small town background. Worked her way up the political ladder without the benefit of a ‘machine’ or quotas. Not afraid to be a hunter. Pro-life. Proud of her background and upbringing. Not afraid to be politically incorrect. Played sports in school – state champs, in fact.” Very…vague. Sure, she’s pro-life. That’s a very Republican stance, so no surprise there – unless you mean the way she talks about it. It still remains to be seen what she would do about it, if anything, once in office. Many before her have talked just as big a game and given the pro-life side…nothing. Okay, she’s a hunter…or at least talks like one, and is cool with others hunting. She won’t take your guns away, if that’s what you mean. But which Republican would?

    The politically incorrect thing though, that makes no sense. There are many Republicans who are not afraid to be politically “incorrect,” but that’s really because being “incorrect” is Republican-speak for not really caring if the things you say offend people. You know, saying things about “pro-death” and the “homosexual agenda.” But NOT saying those would be another nail in the coffin for Republicans, since a good number of that base won’t vote for a person who DOESN’T say those things. Bush said things along the lines of what Palin says. I seem to remember back in 2000 hearing a lot of people talking about what a breath of fresh air BUSH was…

    Played sports? Not ashamed of her background? Can someone say “lowest common denominator”?

    Now, as far as not having a “machine” which helped her work her way up the political ladder, I’d have to ask you what you mean by this. She certainly didn’t prior to her run for mayor. After that it gets murky. There seem to be some issues surrounding her appointment to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Besides, to get the small offices one doesn’t need the help of the machine; not so, the higher offices. The machine’s certainly behind her now!


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