Palin Meets Marlee Matlin

Cool story over on Zap2It:

On Wednesday (Dec. 15), in a break in her trailer between takes during a guest-starring appearance on CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," tentatively scheduled to air on Thursday, Feb. 3, Matlin tells Zap2it in sign language, through an interpreter, "My opinion on Bristol is that I really applaud her. I saw, from the very beginning, that she wasn't a good dancer, but she had her own identity. She didn't give a f**k that she was the daughter of Sarah Palin, and I could see that.

"Then I saw, week-by-week, the transformation of her really blossoming. She didn't deserve to be the top winner, she didn't deserve that, but I think she she deserved to be in the third slot -- maybe fourth spot would have been better. I didn't think Brandy should have been knocked off.

"She did come a long way. I mean, that's what the show is about -- be a crummy dancer or have no talent at all and grow. There was evidence of that. I got a chance to tell her mother, in an elevator, in New York."

Turns out that fate brought together Matlin and the former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice-presidential candidate, who is now a Fox News contributor and has her own documentary series, "Sarah Palin's Alaska," airing Sunday on TLC.

"I was in the elevator already," says Matlin, "and she walked in, without a bodyguard. She and her husband walked in. I said, 'Well, well, Mrs. Palin,' and she turned around, 'Marlee Matlin!' I said, 'Hello, it's nice to meet you.' And she said, 'You speak very clearly.' And she said, 'My son is learning to sign, the son with Down's Syndrome.'

"And I said, 'I heard that, and I think that's great.' We spoke as two mothers back and forth. Then I said to her how proud I was of Bristol, and that she should be, too, and I told her why, with my observation.

"She said, 'Thank you, thank you, thank you,' and gave me a hug. Elevator opened, and she walked out. My interpreter said that he heard her say, 'Wow!'

"You understand, I don't support her politics, but as a woman and as a mother, yes, just like any other mother. And she's really pretty."

Reached by email, Gov. Palin recalls the encounter, writing, "That is so nice! She was so gracious when we met, and we got to talk about Trig learning sign language. Having that small but meaningful connection was sweetly surreal. I have always admired Marlee."

I honestly have no clue who Marlee Matlin is. Don't really care. Just a cute story.

Kate: "Sarah, All Hail You, Amazon Woman"

When the news first came out that Kate was going to be on Sarah Palin's show, I was really, really hoping it was an unfounded rumor.

But come on, this is hilarious:

Not to rag on Kate. She provided us with a lot of laughter last night.

Palin in Haiti with Samaritan's Purse - Update

Governor Palin and Greta van Susteren are in Haiti with Samaritan's purse to:

Encourage the people of Haiti and bring awareness to the needs that still exist there.

Slideshow:

Find more photos like this on Team Sarah

Stories here and here.

And a word to those who say, "She's only doing this for a photo-op! She doesn't really care about Haiti!"

Who do you care about? Her being there is drawing attention to the cholera problem and to the good work of charities like Samaritan's Purse. What difference does it make to you why she's there if it's doing good? You should put your disdain for Palin on the back burner to the suffering in Haiti. Kudos to Democrats with brains:

Update - More pictures have been added to the slideshow. I think as I add them they go to the end, so you'll have to skip ahead.

"America by Heart" Not Selling Well? - Update

In what universe?

The book has been doing extremely well. I don't think anyone expected it to do as well as Going Rogue. And there's no way it's going to surpass the tell-all of a former President. Coming in second was pretty d*** good.

Also, confession here. When I first heard about the new book, it was exciting, sure. But the description of the book didn't exactly thrill me. A collection of quotes and inspiring essays? Um, okay. Love Palin, but I can look up quotes on the Internet. And I already love America and believe in its founding principles, so not much of a point in reading it just to reinforce my own beliefs. I bought two copies, pretty much just to have them. With Going Rogue I bought ten or twelve and handed them out as Christmas presents.

The book isn't just a collection of essays or quotes, however. It's really a book of philosophy. The heart of America. What makes it tick? It's kind of a letter to the next generation. And there's plenty of original Palin material, it's not just an amalgamation of other people's works. You should read it twice to fully appreciate it.

I guess my point is that if a die hard like me kinda went "eh," then lower-than-Going-Rogue book sales don't mean much of anything with regards to Palin's "luster."

Update: On second thought, that a book basically marketed as a collection of quotes is doing as well as it is actually might say something about Palin's "luster." Something pretty good.

Glenn Beck: Palin Was A Blessing to Me

Aw, sweet. The image of Glenn falling into the depths of despair and Palin having to talk him back from the brink is kinda funny to me. Glenn's such a pessimist sometimes and Sarah strikes me as an eternal optimist. "We're all gonna die!! The machine!! Tokyo...!!!"

"Now, Glenn, it's going to be okay. Calm down there, buddy. Just stay in the game."

Love the end with Pat Gray.

I'm the same way. I don't mind watching other people shoot and butcher things, but I'm not a big hunter myself. I have a gun and enjoy shooting targets, but I don't like to kill anything unless I have to. My dad bagged three deer in a week this last season and he's been bugging me to go out hunting with him lately. Maybe I'll give it a try next year. I don't know. I'm the kind of person who will catch the bee and put it outside on a flower rather than just swat it with a fly swatter.

Update:

Seriously though, with regards to a "machine" and all that. Are there guys sitting in a smoke-filled room somewhere plotting to take over the world? I don't know. Maybe. Does it worry me? No. This may sound really corny, but when it comes down to it, my hope doesn't lie in this world. (Yeah, that sounded corny. Oh, well. ;)

Psalm 2 -

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh...

Yeah, He's not too worried about it. I'll stick by the One laughing at those guys.