Just listened to the Palin/Masked Avengers tape. My thoughts are these:

[Plaid Adder]

1) The fact that she got pranked is not in itself what matters, really. These guys are apparently very good at what they do and they have done this to people a lot smarter than Palin. One of their diabolical methods is to exploit the rest of the world's almost-total ignorance of the ins and outs of Canada and its politics, which they certainly do beautifully here. As someone who is only about 15% less ignorant about Canada than Palin is, I have some sympathy with her for playing along and trying not to reveal the fact that she had never heard these names that "Sarkozy" was throwing at her. The fact that the call got through to her is, of course, the fault of her press people, especially "Betsy," who I suppose is now not only unemployed but unemployable.

2) Here's what's really horrifying about that phone call: we got to see how Palin acts when she thinks she's talking to a head of state. And it's OMGWTFBBQ HUMILIATING! One DUer on another thread described her as sounding "like a 16 year old meeting Lance Bass for the first time," and by God that's exactly right. Who greets a foreign head of state by squeeing, "We LOVE you!"? Also not pretty was how gushily, desperately grateful she seemed to be--or was pretending to be--to "Nico" for showing her attention and approval. This is something that has just bugged me about her from the beginning, and I may as well rant about it now: What makes it possible for right-wing men to love Sarah Palin despite the threat that she might otherwise represent to the patriarchy as a female VPOTUS is the way she performs that bootlicking, adoration-oozing, oh-thank-you-so-much-for-fulfilling-my-life-by-noticing-me BULLSHIT that patriarchal bastards love so well and which, no doubt by design, contributes to their impression of her as a cute gal who deserves a little help and sympathy because she's gosh darn it trying so hard even though clearly she doesn't have a brain in that pretty little head of hers. She may be a pit bull when she's talking about Democrats but to the guys in her own party everything she does sends the message, "I just love you sooo much and you're sooo great and I'm sooo grateful to you for helping out the helpless little woman that I know I am." Which, OK, works all right when you're sleazing your way up the rungs of the party ladder...but NOT WHAT IS CALLED FOR ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE!

3) "Marcel the guy with the loaf of bread under his armpit." Funniest line in the whole conversation.

4) You know what I like best about this? I got done listening to it and I said to myself, "I better go write up a thingy on it now, cause come Wednesday nobody's gonna give a shit about her." And THAT is gonna be a beautiful thing.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[MarthaMyDear]

1. My thoughts exactly! Very creepy way she talks with men with political power...yuck!

Nice name you have there, Plaid Adder, hahaha! Love it!

[yardwork]

2. Yep. Palin sounded like a twelve year old during that call.

Also, one article quoted the pranksters saying that it took two weeks to set up the call, with dozens of phone calls to Palin's campaign, from the secret service up through her staff. So it wasn't just Betsy who got punked. Unless some of Palin's staff suspected it was a prank and let it go through anyway....

I'd love to be a fly on the wall in Palin staff meetings tonight, except that the toxic atmosphere would probably kill me.

[Bliss33]

36. Really?

That makes it even worse then because from what you're saying she was expecting the call. So with time to prepare she still couldn't make herself sound even marginally intelligent. I am not American. The selection of Sarah Palin has left us in a state of shock and awe. Shock that someone as patently unqualified as Palin could be selected. And in awe (as in dread) that McCain could be so reckless with the security and reputation of the United States.

[crossroads]

54. Welcome to DU!

[livetohike]

56. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[rosesaylavee]

62. Yes, that is the thinking person's response to Palin

Think of how we thinking American's feel about it! Add terrified to that dread and you have me pegged about right.

Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[medeak]

3. Is Betsy her high school friend?

as she put all her high school buddies on staff when guv? As they both sounded like school girls

[yardwork]

11. Sixth grade friend, more like. They sounded like two middle schoolers calling boys.

"Hey Sarah (giggle giggle), Nicky's on the phone" (giggling in background.)

"Oooooooh, hold the phone, hold the phone, I'm here! Nicky? This is Sarah!" (louder giggling in background)

"Nicky? I LOOOOOOOOOVE you. giggle giggle. You're the greatest!"

"Wolf hunting next Saturday night? I'd LOVE too! Let's not tell John, though. I wanna be president soon, er, eight years from now."

"Your girlfriend is jealous? (giggle giggle) Well, give her a hug from me (giggle giggle). Maybe we can have a threesome..."

[medeak]

18. brilliant! lol n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. And if you listen closely, you'll notice that at one point

she calls "Sarkozy" by his first name. That's a pretty disrespectful way to talk to a head of state (or someone you think is a head of state), and we should at least expect a potential Vice President to understand some basic protocols.

[MonteLukast]

26. Aren't the French big on protocol in politics?

That would've tipped off a more knowledgeable person-- that "Sarkozy" didn't get upset at being called by his first name.

[Canuckistanian]

42. Yes, she doesn't say "Mister" or "Mister President"

You think Little Boots wouldn't have corrected someone for not using the proper title?

[Willo]

5. The first interaction that bothered me in a similar way

was at the end of the debate with Biden.

She kept repeating "thank you" to him in a way that seemed juvenile. She sounded nervous and unfamiliar with that type of interaction.. As if she saw Biden as above her and not a peer.

The U.N. meetings, I still wonder about. This prank call just summed it up. She is out of her league and acts like it.

[Binka]

7. She Is Fuckwittage Trash.

End of story.

[Dr.Phool]

6. Right at the end, they had to jerk the phone out of the idiots hand!

No telling just how stupid she could get, even knowing she was a joke.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Palin was pleased when they mentioned somebody had filmed a biography of her :)

[brer cat]

9. Thanks for the "thingy", PA

May we all enjoy our Pailin-less future.

[corkhead]

10. We Love you Plaid Adder!!

:loveya:

but seriously, I always enjoy reading your clear and concise, spot on commentaries.

:toast:

[Renaissance Man]

12. I'm sorry.

We're going to have to respectfully disagree here. The moment when the prankster mentioned Hustler's "Nailin' Palin," should have tipped her off that she wasn't talking to Sarkozy.

What head of state would even mention that in a serious (let alone casual) conversation with someone seeking the second highest office in the US?

[Plaid Adder]

14. My partner believes that Palin was actually tipped off by that.

It comes very late in the conversation, and Palin's response seemed to her to indicate that Palin had finally figured out there was something fishy about the call. Of course what she does is try to play through it, so you can't really prove it one way or another.

C ya,

The Plaid Adder

[uppityperson]

20. It is simple. She doesn't listen to what other people say.

She may take a slight clue towards a topic that she can then spin into what SHE wants to talk about, but that is all. It is obvious to me, listening to this, that she is not paying attention to WHAT he is saying.

IF she'd been actually listening, rather than planning how she could give her talking points, or giggling, she would have caught on sooner.

Narcissism. Power hungry narcissist.

[yardwork]

45. How does that disagree with the OP?

The moment Palin heard the fake accent should have tipped her off, imo. This woman is the governor of Alaska, which borders Canada, and she can't recognize an obviously fake French accent?

[Larry in KC]

49. I think that just went past her, probably due to the outrageous accent

She was too starstruck (and flattered at the idea of a biography of her), maybe too uncomfortable in pointing out her difficulties in understanding his accent.

So, she did what people often do in conversations with someone who doesn't speak their language fluently: she tried to bluff her way through, assuming that what she couldn't quite make out was a complimentary bio. People often get burned that way, but not often to this extent, and not with a global audience.

Of course, with her, it fits perfectly, because we've also seen her many times trying to bluff her way through even in English to other native English speakers.

[Tutonic]

55. Yeah remember when Bush gave Merkel a back massage?

[me b zola]

13. Your second thought was what stuck out in my mind the most

I mean it's easy to laugh at--and be terrified of--Palin's not understanding the conversation that she was attempting to participate in{the caller who is supposed to be the Prime Minister of France refers to his Prime Minister of Canada--and not even by his real name--WTF?), but it was her high-school girl manner of speaking to someone that she believed to be a head of state that completely left my jaw on the floor.

Just wow, that entire prank. Just wow.

[Chloroplast]

15. The whole situation has made me deeply sad.

I wanted to laugh because I was already in on the joke but this call just magnifies her poor judgment. Her lack of decorum is deplorable and her staff is just as clueless. I don't want this woman in Washington; she shouldn't even be in public office. I shudder to think about the female politicians that McCain overlooked to pick this bimbo.

[JustJon]

16. Palin's staff

I have to say: I actually feel bad for "Betsy" and company.

Yeah, they're doing a lousy job, but you can just as easily argue that they're only doing what they think is necessary to prop up a bad candidate.

I mean, do we honestly think that $150k spending spree ever happens if they weren't recognizing the reality that Palin's gotta really look the part, 'cause she sure isn't gonna act the part?

Do we honestly think they'd have been tricked into a prank phone call if they weren't so desperate to secure her a chance to talk with a foreign leader and secure his endorsement, just to prop up her sagging foreign credentials?

Nevermind how easy it would have been to make about two phone calls to confirm (or, you know, not) that the Sarkozy call was legit.

And, for that matter, never mind how much worse it could have been for them. By which I mean: they're lucky it was as over the top as it was. They're lucky she caught on eventually, once they came out and told her. How much worse would it have been if they pranked her, then the call ended, and then Palin's people started spreading the word that she had a productive private conversation with Sarkozy that resulted in securing his endorsement... only to have the prank dropped on them after they already began to crow about it. Oh yeah, this could have been much worse if the Palin people had actually been allowed to go on thinking it was real. Could've been much, much worse.

But, still, I feel bad for her staff. They're getting tagged for all the mistakes Palin herself makes (as if it's their fault that she didn't learn things a middle-school student knows). They're getting thrown under the bus by McCain's people. And they're embarrassing themselves striking out swinging at bad pitches because they're pressing to hit the homerun that will get them back in the game.

"Sarah Palin's vice presidential campaign" probably won't be something they want to highlight on the old résumé. Unless they apply for a job with the NRA, or something.

[Number23]

17. Won't it be so wonderful this time next year when we're all thinking....

"What was that woman's name who ran for VP with John McCain?? Oh, that awful, awful woman. Rebecca Failin?? Susan Flailin?? Lucy Sailin?? Oh, I can't remember. All I do remember was that she was a clueless Neanderthal and seemed so proud of it. Well wherever she is, hopefully she has put up her political tap-dancing shoes and is enjoying a nice, quiet life far, FAR away from the public eye."

Won't that just be so lovely?? I truly cannot wait. :party:

[AZBlue]

19. I completely agree. It's embarrassing for her and for us that she's even a candidate.

The idea of someone speaking to another country's leader like that and thinking that they were speaking to her in this way? Once I stopped laughing, I became very embarrassed.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

21. "...come Wednesday nobody's gonna give a shit about her." And THAT is gonna be a beautiful thing."

The perfect capper to an excellent OP.

:applause:

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

64. There are hard-right GOPers who think Palin is the future of the party

I wonder if this prank call changes any of their minds?

[pdxmom]

22. The whole thing creeped me out. From the very beginning, when she

said "Hi, this is Sarah". No! This is Gov. Palin. You aren't his BFF.

And the constant giggling. It was just horrible. Seriously, the picture in my head was of a teenage girl talking to the BMOC, who deigned to give her the time of day.

And she just went along, agreeing with whatever was said, even if she wasn't sure what he was talking about. Great. Just what I want in a leader. She'd deal away the entire East Coast, just because she agreed to something when she didn't know what was being said.

[MonteLukast]

31. But... but... that's what makes her so real!

And so easy to connect with!

And the constant giggling. It was just horrible.

And relate to! Who HASN'T gotten butterflies in the stomach when meeting an Actual! Celebrity!Head! Of! State!

Seriously, the picture in my head was of a teenage girl talking to the BMOC.

Who better to have a beer with than a BMOC and his groupie?!

[yardwork]

46. That's EXACTLY how I reacted. She didn't even understand what he was saying but she went along!

He mentions somebody who is NOT the prime minister of Canada and she gushes about how much she's worked with him! He mentions the "the prime minister of Quebec" and the governor of Alaska doesn't realize that there is no prime minister of Quebec. It's a joke! Somebody could call her claiming to be the King of Scotland and her staff would wave through the call and Palin would promise them California!

This is so scary. How could this woman have been put in this position. I'm so angry with McCain.

[MonteLukast]

52. There would've been a Prime Minister of Quebec...

... if their independence referendum in 1995 had succeeded. As it is, they're stuck with a Provincial Premier (equivalent to our governors).

One potential secessionist to another, I guess...

[Versailles]

23. Did I hear that right?

At the very end of the audio, right after Palin hands the phone to her staffer and she hangs up, you hear Palin say something. It sounded to me like she said "some prank caller from France". If this is truly what she said, then she really is an idiot. Not 2 seconds earlier, the guy told her the call was from Montreal. Does Palin think Montreal is in France?!

[concerned canadian]

27. sorry, duplicate post ,

[concerned canadian]

28. well, she didn't know the name of the Prime Minister of Canada,

or that there is no PM of Quebec, so her ignorance knows no bounds.

The only good thing that can come from the Appearance of Sarah Palin is not just her Disappearance from

the world stage, but that criterion for all future candidates for President and VP should be that they are

able to pass a basic test on his or her knowledge of the US Constitution....and, it really goes without saying,

but i will anyway, 'exactly what it is' that the VP does, every day?'.

Last count Sarah failed to get it right 5 times.

[MonteLukast]

30. It not only is, it's the mosaic capital of France

Montreal (-du-Gers), France

:silly:

[jacksonian]

24. "eight years from now"

was the line that struck me. Pailin 2016, not 2012 is the plan. you betcha.

what a twerp they think they can pass off on us.

A scathing post, Plaid Adder, dead on.

[file83]

59. Palin will never be able to win in 2016...

Can you imagine how much trouble, how many gaffs, she'll get into in the next 8 years? In 8 years, Sarah Palin's presidential campaign will end before it begins once the dirt starts coming out on her.

[jazzjunkysue]

25. RRrringggg. "President Palin, It's UK Prime Minister Gordon Borwn on the phone."

(giggle, nervous throat clearing) OOooH-key, put heem ahn,

"Hellllooooooo-ooooooo!"

"President Palin?"

"Yes, Gordy-It's me, Sarah! What's up?! I can call you Gordy, can't I?"

"Uh, Sarah, have you decided what you're going to do about the G8 summit next month? Will you be siding with us on the new economics bill? Are you continuing to ignore your treaty with the european union? What's your stand on the African militia uprisings? How many troops are you committing to the ethnic cleansing in Uzbekistan? You said your people were going to get back to me. We need to be on the same page if we're going to survive re-election. The torries are all over me. And, what about the pipeline in Iraq? Are you ready to secure that thing, or what?"

(Giggle, giggle, snort, guffaw)

"Oh, golly, gee, gosh, Gordy. We love ya, you know. Tod and I and all americans are so glad we can count on you to support us, even though we threw you under the bus in 1776. But, if it was good enough for the founding fathers, well, it's good enough for me. I hope you won't take that personally, Gordy."

Silence

"In what way, Gordy?"

[PermanentRevolution]

29. Heh. I like "OMGWTFBBQ"

It's zesty!

[Plaid Adder]

65. It's a LiveJournalism

I'm not sure exactly how it started--someone just felt that two 3-letter acronyms in a row WAS NOT ENOUGH!

The Plaid Adder

[bklyncowgirl]

32. Star struck teenager a 72 year old heartbeat from having her finger on the button.

God help us all if they win.

[trof]

41. 'Star struck' Exactly what I thought, too.

Just golly gee-whiz AWED by it all.

[Po_d Mainiac]

33. She'll deliver the

Alaska vote.....fastest way to get her gone. Hope like hell they kringe when she rides back on Wednesday in the trunk of one of McBush's countless autos

[Waiting For Everyman]

34. There's something worse...

She didn't need to be smart enough to catch on. She needed to CLEAR IT WITH MCCAIN FIRST. How could she not ask him how he wanted to handle a call from Sarkozy? If she had done that, this could not have happened. What does she think she's doing - freelancing? That's the scary part. She does whatever-the-hell she wants.

She is a moron loose cannon.

[Karenina]

47. BIG OL' BINGO!!!

[symbolman]

35. Two Words spring to mind..

"Without Preconditions"...

Wasn't she wailing about Obama giving up the strength and dignity of his office by meeting heads of State without Preconditions?

She may yet achieve the most Moronic politician in Office status yet.

Imbecile, and all points inbetween..

[Raine]

37. SHE NEVER CAUGHT ON ... that's what I find so troubling

they had to tell her, she didn't have the intelligence or knowledge to catch on! :wow: :-(

[Larry in KC]

50. How much farther might they have pushed it, how much more outrageous...

before finally even SHE got it? That's a little scary to comtemplate.

[No Elephants]

38. She may just be underqualified for Student Council President.

[Canuckistanian]

43. Tracy Flick would've wiped the floor with her.

[Dr.Phool]

39. It could have been much worse. Imagine Ali G. conducting an interview with her.

[DeeDeeNY]

40. Isn't she supposed to be an "expert" on Canadian politics because they're so close to Alaska?

[Motown_Johnny]

44. excellent point. Although I can see Canada from where I work and I am no expert

Seriously.. I can look accross the river and see Canada. Not like Palin and her ability to see a country 500 miles away

[Two Americas]

58. indeed

And we look south to see Canada. That might really confuse Palin.

[jhain]

48. come Wednesday nobody's gonna give a shit about her

Ba DA Bing!!!

[CitizenPatriot]

51. suddenly their refusal to allow sound

in her "foreign policy" speed dating session comes into focus in a devastating way.

we saw her hugging and flirting, but without the sound, it wasn't nearly as destructive to her "image" or "brand" as it could have been.

sarah palin, destroying democracy one mangled sentence after another.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

53. Favorite Line

I liked it when he said, "I can see Belgium with my ass!" One of a slew of clues she missed. :rofl:

[Karenina]

57. The Masked Avengers have resurrected satire!

:bounce::bounce::bounce:

[Jade Fox]

60. A couple of other important points here......

Republicans were able to accept Palin because Democrats had already broken the ground for them (hi, Hilary!).
Conservatives always do that: They let us take the risks (and the brickbats) making the initial changes in the social fabric (in this case: a woman close to the Presidency), and then they jump on board, commandeer rhetorical concepts they don't understand (like charging sexism appropriately), and demand benefits they never fought for.

Another point: The Republicans embraced Palin because they had to. Ditching her after she was chosen would have looked terrible, and the GOP knew it. So the RW think tanks went into overdrive and came up with things like her lauded executive experience, which allowed Republican voters to position Palin as an acceptable candidate while ignoring her obvious ineptitude. In the long run that hasn't worked too well, mostly because of Palin's unprecedented amount of negative baggage, for which we should be grateful.

[Gman]

61. Well said and hopefully very timely

[smkyle1]

63. damn you nailed it

she's probably used her feminine wiles all of her life.

watch the difference between the way she talks to "Charlie", as she referred to Charles Gibson, and the way she talked to Katie Couric.

http://www.laprogressive.com/2008/09/28/sarah-palins-feminine-wiles-fall-short/

[never cry wolf]

66. Cheers, here's to Wednesday

I have never given a shit about her.....

Can't wait!