Orac is the nom de blog of a (not so) humble pseudonymous surgeon/scientist with an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his miscellaneous verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few will. (Continued 
I'm still buried working on next week's talk and my part of the center grant. Fortunately, Saturday Night Live provides some temporary entertainment until I can get out from under the pile. Once again Tina Fey nails it, especially the "maverick" part. While watching the debate last week, by the end I thought I was going to throw something at the TV screen if I heard Palin refer to herself and McCain as "mavericks" again.
I know, I know, this is becoming a bit of a habit. Don't worry, though. I have something nearly finished for tomorrow, and I see a light at the end of the tunnel next week. At least for a while.
Comments
I'm just waiting for James Garner to make an ad dressed up in western garb as Bret Maverick, saying "I'm a Maverick, I know what a Mavericks and John McCain is no Maverick".
Posted by: natural cynic | October 5, 2008 12:45 PM
Well they did get the description of Scranton right (speaking from someone who grew up in NE PA.) Though what killed me about the actual debate wasn't her maverickalicious maverickosity, but the fact that she just blew past Biden's comments about losing his wife and daughter.
I'm certain she trained and prepped to absolutely resist emotional responses to whatever he said. So I suspect that her lack of a human response was the result of that mindset. The problem is, I think she flubbed an opportunity to 1) appear almost human instead of an audio-anamatronic nut 2) score a big point about the Iraq war.
Now I am glad she did screw it up, because I want them to lose. But its like watching a fail video. She missed doing something very cool by inches. All she had to do was pause, try to look somewhat human, and say "Joe, I cannot imagine the pain you went through. I don't know what I would do if I lost my husband and one of my children. And I know that's in the back of both of our minds - having a son entering into a war zone. So I think that's one thing we can both agree on. The most important thing to both of us is to protect what is most dear to us and to every other American parent in our situation... etc."
How simple could that have been? But nope. She blows right past it and tells us how their maverickly maverick ways of being an outside the beltway maverick are going to gosh darn bring our shining city on the hill to... blah blah blah.
Vomit.
Posted by: NickG | October 5, 2008 1:25 PM
Thanks for the video and the laughs. I missed it (SNL) on the tube. Tina Fey has that annoying voice down to perfection. I hear there's more to come on prime-time TV this Thursday.
Posted by: makeminetrauma | October 5, 2008 5:33 PM
Joe 6-Pack and Jane Wine-Cooler say:
Two thumbs up!
John McCain must be a truly amazing human being! He can own 12 houses, pay $250,000 for house servants alone, do everything the Bush administration wants him to be, and have 80 lobbyists on his campaign staff and still be a maverick outsider just like you and me.
Wow! How does he do it?
Posted by: yogi-one | October 5, 2008 6:24 PM
Tina Fey's syntax isn't nearly twisted enough, and she actually uses verbs. In fairness to her, it is hard to imagine how anybody with a brain could mess it up sufficiently, though.
Posted by: SES | October 5, 2008 6:53 PM
The laugh is really on the Nation. Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin are the best the nation can come up with? The media has successfully convinced people that there really is a difference between the two parties. Both parties are taking advantage of the common person. Just read how bad the financial situation is in the United States if you need some evidence. A good place to look online is the GAO.
Make fun of Sarah Palin. While you're at it, make fun of all the candidates as they all deserve it. I look at some of the Presidents and Presidential candidates of other countries that speak many languages, are chess champions, or have expert economic and leadership skills and I am a bit embarrassed.
I have been reading this website for quite a while, and feel that it is providing a huge public service. I keep hearing how people that use the Internet have a higher than average level of education. I hope and pray it is not true. I have encountered countless people with no understanding of science at all. I'm shocked at how many people think cancer is a fungus just because some quack says so. I'm disappointed that when I finally found a website that seemed to have some accurate information, it would post something like this. Pardon me for not laughing.
Posted by: Cleo | October 5, 2008 8:28 PM
The person I feel sorriest for is Tina Fey. She's already made statements about how sick she is of doing her Palin impersonation. Well, if the country is fortunate, Palin will go back to being a smug nobody after the election.
Posted by: Harrison | October 5, 2008 9:45 PM
Rumor is Sarah Palin will impersonate Tina Fey on this week's Saturday Night Live (which happens to be this Thursday instead). I can't wait to see that.
Posted by: Jared at the Doctor Job | October 8, 2008 2:45 PM