A Beautiful Lie

If the Obama Campaign had a Karl Rove, there wouldn’t have been so much confusion, so many mixed messages regarding Senator John McCain’s surprise pick of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential pick. Rove wouldn’t have allowed all these wishy-washy attacks followed by retractions and congratulations. No, Rove would have kept everybody on message, and then come up with a way to attack Palin in a way that undermined her perceived strengths.

The ad: “A Beautiful Lie”

BARACK OBAMA: I’m Barack Obama, and I approve this message.

The now-famous head shot of Palin from her pageant days slowly darkens, her features becoming distorted.

ANNOUNCER: They say Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, John McCain’s choice for vice presidential nominee, is a beautiful woman. But if it’s this easy to make her look ugly using Photoshop, how good-looking could she actually be? And what about the rumors that she uses makeup and has her hair styled to make her look better than she actually does?

As the words echo, text reading “Makeup” and “Styled” flickers ominously across the screen.

ANNOUNCER: And does everyone think she’s so beautiful? Here’s what people who have actually known Sarah Palin or lived in her state have to say…

CHILDHOOD FRIEND: Everybody says she’s so pretty. I don’t think she’s all that.

GAY ALASKAN MAN: She’s not my type.

ANNOUNCER: Again and again, the story varies as to whether Sarah Palin actually is as beautiful as is claimed. Makeup, styled hair, there are even reports that Palin has worn high heels to distort her height and the shapeliness of her legs. Can we really afford to have a woman a heartbeat away from the presidency who might not actually be that hot?

Text reading "High Heels" and "Not Actually Hot" flickers ominously across the screen.

ANNOUNCER: Palin. Move the L and it spells plain.

--Dan Kilian