Sunday, March 11, 2012

Watching "Game Change" with Katie Hurley and Friends in Wasilla

Wasilla 4th of July 2009 - Katie Hurley Grand Marshall - image by PA
More like watching the movie near Hatcher Pass. 

Saturday late evening, Judy and I went to a potluck-movie showing of Game Change held by the Mat-Su Democrats.  There were enough people to keep two big screens in big rooms full of long-time progressives.  

Many attending have known Palin far longer than me.  I've known her for over 20 years.  One of her high school teachers was there.  A woman who had taught in the same school as Palin's dad.  And so on.

Katie Hurley, one of the very few players in the formation of the Alaska Constitution still among us, was  animated.  Hurley was the first highly successful woman in Mat-Su Valley politics.  The comprehensive story of her relationship with Palin hasn't been written yet.  Hopefully, it will be.

Katie was LOL about fifteen times in the flick.  She caught some of the inner campaign operation jokes in the movie more quickly than any of us, some a third her age.

Overall, the audience thought the movie to be fair.  The portrayal of John McCain was thought to be too sympathetic.  Harrelson's portrayal beat Moore's in a hand count I held in the room I was in.  The inaccuracy of the accent was what did Moore in in Wasilla, by people who have had to put up with Palin's antics and statements for a long, long time.

The movie's portrayal of the Palins as a family struck me as deft.  If the Palins complain about what appears to be an earnest effort to explain them, it won't surprise me, but they don't really have a case.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, the accent distracted me, too.

As far as the "family" stuff went, there were no witnesses to that so they just made it their idea of "family", having no idea about the real Palin family dynamics. It's clear they didn't even study the many behind-the-scenes campaign pictures of the Palin family; there were precious few scenes of family closeness in those.

On the whole, I gave the movie a "bleuchh", but maybe that was from all the wine needed to sit through it to the end because I'd had more than enough of Mrs Palin's campaign by Election Day 2008.

Again - bleuchh. Can she go away, now, please?

Aussie Blue Sky

Anonymous said...

I know the pictures came from Sarahpac, but there are lots of behind the scenes pictures of the family.

The interesting thing about Sarah Palin is that shes don'e a 180, not rare, since her days as a shy, bookish Wasilla Middle and High student. Why changed HER? How is that different from other people who's made similar transformations?

I hope her family isn't too hurt by the film, though they're strong. I say that because I overheard a couple people a few days ago sound off about how no one respects Palin's extended family when they Sarah Palin criticisms fly. People really do need to think about the fact that Alaska is small. While criticism can't be stopped, and the Palins realize that, it's rude and disrespectful to disrespect someone's aunt, sister, mom in front of a cousin, daughter, son, niece. Put yourself in their shoes.

Seattle's Best said...

I just can't get over that despite all the crap the media and "haters" have put them through, the Palin children are healthier and happier than many other youth I know, youth NOT in public view. Their balanced, genial attitudes are incredible. You'd think anyone in their shoes would be bitter at the shit their mother takes, unfairly. Amazing. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger indeed.

How many people with newfound name recognition chooses the simple life and still has the mentality that they aren't "celebrities" but just normal people? Admirable.

Leigh said...

Phil, while I was perusing a friend's wedding pictures from awhile back (Palins attended obviously), I saw this comment about Sarah. Do you know who the woman is that this commenter could be referencing, the neighbor?

Anonymous said...

Sorry, stupid me forgot to copy comment.

"There's a woman here in this part of Michigan who lived in the same neighborhood as SP - she was a DEA agent, now retired. Because there are so few high level officials there they all play host when someone special comes to town. She knew the Palens (sic) well - said they were both very nice & gorgeous!"

Anonymous said...

Wow. The fairy tale troll is up bright and early working your comment section hard Phil. 4 posts in a row

Anonymous said...

I was heartened by the scenes where Sarah and Todd Palin juggled schedules to make sure that baby Trig got the daily intensive therapy so critical for the development of a Down Syndrome child.

It's not like they put Trig on hold during the campaign.

HalfTime said...

While WGE was on the campaign trail and attempting to memorize history points, I'll never forget that she did not turn over duties of Governor to Lt. Gov.

I felt my governor was being irresponsible. Again. Troopergate was the first time her irresponsibility rose it's ugly head.

In any case, I didn't enjoy reliving some of those OMG Hate N Horror moments remembered during the 08 campaign.

With that said, I do enjoy viewing her supporters since the defeated McCain/Palin campaign. I find them entertaining in a creepy way. Who knows maybe it's because I live here. But at the end of the day, if I happen to be traveling in the lower 48, I say I'm from Palmer. Creepy eh?

frankly, the real pondering can arise... Like what has she done since her "game change" moment to improve herself from being labeled "way over her head"?
Creepy eh?

Anonymous said...

Steve Schmidt gave an interview (on Morning Joe, I think) about the movie and Palin.

He came right out and said she wasn't qualified, that a Palin presidency was a very scary thing, and that he hopes that she has no place in Republican leadership in the future, because she has done nothing to correct her deficiencies of four years ago.

He appeared to be pretty brutally honest.

About time.

bt