On this Sunday's Web-based "Press Pass" feature, Meet the Press host David Gregory spoke to "Game Change" co-authors John Heilemann and Mark Halperin about the recent Sarah Palin-bashing HBO film based on the book and wondered: "Governor Palin has not been happy with this film. Why?"
Heilemann laughably argued: "...it's hard to know why she's not happy with it....the movie is an incredibly balanced portrait of her..."
While proclaiming the movie to be fair and balanced, the facts prove otherwise. One scene in the movie shows then-Governor Palin being taught basic grade school world history. The movie also showed campaign advisors treating Palin like she was out of control. Another clip showed McCain senior staffer Nicole Wallace yelling at Palin following the September 2008 Katie Couric interview. [Video below the jump or listen to the audio]
Even though the actual book is based upon the entire election narrative, also examining, for example -- the Democratic primary race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton -- the movie chose to only focus on the McCain-Palin campaign. Halperin defended the editorial decision by the filmmakers:
Jay Roach, the guy who directed you know, a 12-year old's favorite movie, as well as George W. Bush's favorite movie, the Austin Powers movies. Also did Recount for HBO. He was fascinated by the Sarah Palin story. Not as a political story, which is how we approached the book, but as a human story, as a great American story.
It should be noted that Roach, donated more than $2,000 to Barack Obama’s campaign in 2008, something Gregory failed to mention to viewers. Despite this fact, Halperin proclaimed that the movie was a fair and balanced portrayal of the former Alaska governor:
...they had such a concern about making the book – the movie – accurate. And they also were very concerned about the whole thing feeling to even insiders accurate and that – that's what they ended up doing." Gregory agreed: "Yeah, I want to get to that. Cause I really did feel that...
Gregory teed up Heileman to further denigrate Palin's candidacy: "Again, journalistically, how did she not only change the game, but then more negatively, how did she change it in Obama's favor?"
The panel also had no qualms about slamming Palin's qualifications to be vice president. Gregory even cited Tina Fey as proof that the governor was unprepared to be vice president:
HALPERIN: She performed not just at the convention but almost every case, every challenge she performed pretty well or extraordinarily well. It was those few instances of, the Katie Couric interview in particular and then, the bad luck that Tina Fey looked enough like her to produce this iconic imitation that really helped define her.
GREGORY: Right. And define her as just not at all ready...
HEILEMAN: Yeah.
GREGORY: ...to be Vice President of the United States, let alone President of the United States if that were to happen.
Since the media thinks Tina Fey is a credible source when discussing Palin's candidacy, one has to wonder when they might cite fellow Saturday Night Live performer Fred Armisen as a credible source for discussing Obama's experience?
