Palin, Like Bush in 2000, Duped by Canadian Pranksters
Given her Neanderthal social views and staggering ignorance of foreign affairs, it's no surprise that many have dubbed Sarah Palin "George Bush in Lipstick." Now, eight years after a Canadian comic duped then-Governor Bush into accepting the endorsement of a mythical prime minister in Ottawa, John McCain's running mate has suffered a similar fate. In even more spectacularly embarrassing fashion, as it turns out, Sarah Palin was punked by a prank call from a Montreal radio host posing as French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
More revealing than the length of her five minute conversation with the Sarkozy imposter from the Masked Avengers of Quebec's CKOI was Palin's fawning schoolgirl manner during the call. Oblivious to either protocol ("Hello, this is Sarah. How are you?" and "John McCain and I, we love you and thank you for spending a few minutes to talk to me)" or common sense, Palin was blissfully unaware of the escalating joke unfolding at her expense.
During the call, Palin entered a persistent vegetative state, as the bogus Sarkozy talked about phony Canadian politicians ("my great friend, the Prime Minister of Canada, Stef Carse"), hunting from helicopters, killing baby seals, and his wife being "hot in bed." It was only after Palin seemed please to learn about an upcoming pornographic film about her that the jokesters ended the charade:
FAKE SARKOZY: I must say, Governor Palin, I love the documentary they made on your life, you know, Hustler's "Nailin Palin."
PALIN: Oh, good, thank you. Yes.
FAKE SARKOZY: That was really edgy.
PALIN: [Laughs] Well good.
FAKE SARKOZY: I really love you. And I must say something, so, Governor, you've been pranked by the Master Avengers. We're two comedians from Montreal.
If this pathetic episode sounds all too familiar, it should. During the 2000 campaign, our friends to the North pulled off a similar stunt with George W. Bush.
In November 1999, the Republican presidential frontrunner in an interview had been famously unable to name three of four world leaders. Sadly, George W. Bush's struggles with the international landscape didn't end there. Just four months later in March 2000, Bush was delighted to learn from a reporter that he had received the ringing endorsement of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Poutine:
"Prime Minister Jean Poutine said he wouldn't endorse any candidate in this election, now he says he believes George W. Bush is the man to lead the free world into the 21st century."
Bush warmly accepted his endorsement:
"He understands I want to make sure our relationship with our most important neighbour to the north of us is strong and we'll work closely together."
There were a few problems, of course. The prime minister of Canada was Jean Chretien, not Jean Poutine. "Poutine" is a popular regional food of Quebec, a dish of french fries, gravy and cheese curds. Bush, simply too ignorant regarding our neighbor to the north, fell hook, line and sinker for a prank by This Hour Has 22 Minutes star Rick Mercer.
Of course, presidential and vice presidential candidates can't be expected to know every detail about every leader of every country. As it turned out, George W. Bush's shocking ignorance proved to be prophetic of his failures in the White House. And to be sure, Sarah Palin showed once again that the difference between her and the current occupant of the Oval Office is the lipstick.
UPDATE: During his visit to Paris in March, John McCain said of Nicolas Sarkozy, "this president is committed to greater cooperation and values our friendship." After the Palin episode, McCain may return to bashing France - and Canada.
You've got to be kidding me. This woman could be vice president?
Posted by Tim on November 2, 2008 9:40 PM