We’ve all seen some cringe-worthy Sarah Palin moments in recent years, but hearing former half-term governor talk about fast-food wages may be the most painful clip to date.
To provide a little background, the Alaska Republican launched a new Internet channel recently — existing news organizations weren’t giving her enough attention? — to help her offer “common-sense, conservative” takes on the issues of the day. The failed vice presidential candidate charges supporters $100 a year to hear her unique perspective.
On Friday, Palin decided to respond to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who recently stood up for striking fast-food workers during an appearance at the Netroots Nation conference. The former governor was apparently unimpressed and posted this message on her online channel. For those who can’t watch clips online, here’s a transcript, as best as I could put this word salad together.
“We believe, wait, I thought fast food joints, don’t you guys think that they’re like of the devil or something? Liberals, you want to send those evil employees who would dare work at a fast food joint that you just don’t believe in, I thought you, I dunno, wanted to send them to purgatory or something. So they all go vegan. And wages and picket lines. I dunno, they’re not often discussed in purgatory are they? I dunno, why are you even worried about fast food wages?“Well, we believe, an America where minimum wage jobs, they’re not lifetime gigs, they’re stepping stones to sustainable wages. It teaches work ethic.”
Oh my.
It’s hard to know where to start with something like this.
With Palin’s difficulty speaking in complete sentences? With the low production values? With her stilted delivery, apparently intended to sound like a stand-up comic?
With the fact that Palin is struggling with the idea that someone can be concerned about workers at a restaurant, even if they don’t intend to eat at that restaurant?
With her confusion about who’s working at fast-food restaurants and why they deserve above-poverty wages?
Finally, let’s also not forget that this clip, as awful as it seemed, wasn’t live. Palin, on her own channel, could have filmed this as many times as she wanted, making sure it turned out exactly right.
This, in other words, was Palin’s best take. The versions in which she stumbled were left on the editing-room floor.
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Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."