I find these crank calls to be juvenile. What makes it news is that this campaign is so poorly run that a vice presidential candidate can be reached directly by anyone speaking in a french accent and claiming to be a head of state. It is also astonishing that Palin fell for a conversation with so many obvious indicators that the call was a prank.
Palin was speaking with comedian Marc-Antoine Audette and the interview is set to air Monday on a Quebec radio station.
When Audette tells the Republican in a strong French accent that he can see her as president, she laughs and says: “Maybe in eight years.”
The call is full of obvious indicators that it was a joke that Palin completely misses and appears perfectly clueless that she is discussing bizarre things with the head of a country. He refers to French singer Johnny Hallyday as his special adviser to the United States and to Canadian singer Steph Carse as Canada’s prime minister. Faux Sarkozy tells Palin that he enjoys hunting and loves “killing those animals.”
Without missing a beat, Palin responds “We should go hunting together, I think we could have a lot of fun together as we’re getting work done. We could kill two birds with one stone that way.” Audette then insists that Cheney not be invited, but Palin assured him “I’ll be a careful shot.”
Ok, maybe that would not appear too strange, but then he starts to make fun of Palin’s “I can see Russia from my house” takeoff on SNL. He notes “You know we have a lot in common also, because except from my house I can see Belgium.” Again, Palin is clueless and says “Well, see, we’re right next door to different countries that we all need to be working with, yes.”
Palin praises Sarkozy’s wife, “You know, I look forward to working with you and getting to meet you personally and your beautiful wife. Oh my goodness, you’ve added a lot of energy to your country with that beautiful family of yours.”
Palin continues even after the comedian tell her that Bruni is “so hot in bed” and then informs her that Bruni has written a song for her about Joe the Plumber called “Du rouge a levres sur une cochonne” — which actually means “lipstick on a pig.”
He then asks her if Joe the Plumber is her husband, and adds, “we have the equivalent of Joe the Plumber in France. It’s called Marcel, the guy with bread under his armpit.”
He even refers to the pornographic film “Nailin’ Palin” by Larry Flint as a “documentary” that he loved to watch. She responds “Oh, good, thank you, yes.”
The comedians then reveal the prank and Palin quickly hands off the phone stating “Oh, have we been pranked?”
The campaign has put the best face on the obvious embarrassing glitch in their security. They note, correctly, that others have fallen for pranks calls: “Governor Palin was mildly amused to learn that she had joined the ranks of heads of state, including President Sarkozy and other celebrities, in being targeted by these pranksters. C’est la vie.” It must have been pretty “mild.”
The problem is that I doubt many world leaders would have remained on the phone as the caller spoke of his sex life, porno films, and seeing Belgium from his home.
The tape is now available of various sites, click here and here and here.
For the full story, click here.