Seeing as today is Presidents Day, where the nation comes together to honor our past great leaders, we see it fitting to look at the latest political figure and “reality superstar”, Sarah Palin.
This self-titled “maverick”, at first branded herself as a strong political influence with ties to family values, motherhood, main street U.S.A, and conservatism. After her failed run as Vice President during the 2008 Presidential election, she has since morphed into a celebrity.
With her daughter partaking in Dancing With the Stars, and herself being the star of TLC’S Sarah Palin’s Alaska, she has been capitalizing on her celebrity status with a book tour, speech engagements, and recently, Fox News contributor. Do politics even play a role in her brand anymore?
While her views haven’t changed about how the government should be run (if she even can even articulate her views without having to beat around the bush), she has basically destroyed her political brand. In several interviews, she has lost her credibility by not being able to answer simple political questions.
Here is an example of her failing to brand herself as a knowledgeable politician.
Below is a video of her dropping the ball in Politics 101.
According to The Huffington Post, her reality show received $1.2 million in tax credits, a third of what it took to film the series. While other series filmed in Alaska do take advantage of the tax credit, Palin’s show profited the most, angering many citizens. With her stance on outrageous government spending, it is odd that she would partake in something that takes advantage of government funding This further harms her political credibility because she is profiting off the government that she previously lead.
So what’s your take on her brand? Will this affect her future in politics, with a possible 2012 Presidential run? Is she still a positive political figure or simply a public nuisance?
-Allison Day, Jessica Berinson, Megan Canny, Melissa Gagliardi, Scott Burgess
IMC Hawks Blog 