Alex Wagner is my new favorite political commentator. Yes, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Rachel Maddow, but Alex Wagner consistently gives insightful comments on the American political system. A few days ago, commenting on the big caravan bus run Palin is doing at the moment, Wagner gave the best observation of what the bus tour, and Palin, is all about.

Palin is "the Lady Gaga of American politics right now. She has, you know, high-speed chases going on around the country, she has her version of Little Monsters, she has the press corps wrapped around her finger, and she's not even going to run."

Yes. When she said Palin was like Lady Gaga it all fell into place for me. Palin is a patchwork of divergent political thought wrapped up in a package that is more style than substance, very similar to my opinion of Lady Gaga. I don't fault Lady Gaga for her success; she definitely has talent, but her quest for fame, for being important, for being talked about, overshadows any talent she might have in my eyes. When I see Gaga's work I think of people who came before her, like Madonna and Dale Bozio of Missing Persons, who paved the way for Gaga. In the end I don't see her pushing the talent, only the flash of fame.

That's what I see in Palin. She has an intriguing backstory, which works well if you were crafting a miniseries for television, but a pleasing backstory doesn't make one ready for high political office. Even now I would be wise to question if she is going to run for office because she is doing a song and dance that keeps her Monsters guessing.

In the eyes of Lady Gaga's Monsters, she can do no wrong. You can point out the derivative nature of her music, the flash over substance, and they will defend her to the end. You could ask why they defend her so much and in many cases, with the true die-hards, the reasoning isn't clear. Sure, they will say she speaks to them, that she gets them, but the question is do they find what they want as comfort in her message or are they so starved for attention and to be heard that anyone who gives lip service to their alienation is treated as royalty? Palin's Little Monsters feel as disenfranchised as the Gaga Monsters, and when someone hears their plea, hears their message and says they will stand by and help them, they are more than willing to overlook obvious flaws. Constant misstatements are brushed aside by Palin fans because they see her as one of them, speaking for them.

The media is the worst of the Monsters for both of them. Instead of calling them out, pressing questions, they think of a talk with them wither as an honor or they feel the personality will shun them if questions are too difficult. It really doesn't matter because to communicate with the faithful they use the medium of social networking. Fans never see the warts and flaws and those not enthralled by the magic of Gaga or Palin are left to wonder what the appeal is.

So yes, Alex Wagner calling Palin the Lady Gaga of politics was fitting.


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Sarah Palin The Lady Gaga of Politics - June 06, 2011
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