In a village half full of idiots -- the Fox News Channel -- even Sarah Palin stood out from the rest, except for the possible exception of her most pathetically sycophantic fan, Sean Hannity. But her brand of polarizing conservatism appealed to a certain segment of Fox News' viewers, so it made some kind of sense having her around to expound platitudes and offer buzz words for the mindless even if it was only for ratings. Still, for the well-read Republican, the knowledgeable conservative, having Palin pontificating on this issue or that must have been akin to watching a child babble on about why they like the color orange. So the news that Palin would no longer be a paid contributor on Fox News Channel, a story that broke on the Real Clear Politics website Friday (Jan. 25), has to be a victory for most conservatives.
Still, it wasn't as if she couldn't have stayed on at Fox News. Apparently she was negotiating a contract renewal when talks broke down. Although it is as yet unknown why, it is doubtful that Fox News Channel was willing to pay a reported $1 million per year -- her contract until 2013 -- to the former Alaska governor for her services.
And yet, one must wonder: Whither will she wander? Who will hire her? What "village" is desperate for an idiot?
Palin, who seems adroit at marketing herself, might become a freelance contributor, bouncing from network to network, making appearances here and there. This would certainly fit her supposed independent (maverick-y) streak and would allow her to pick and choose her panels, shows, and special appearances. Becoming something like a professional guest contributor would also give networks an easy out with her extreme views, an ability to offer the disclaimer that she does not work for nor does she reflect the views of the network.
Palin could also end up on CNN. Remember: Glenn Beck once had a show on CNN. (No, really, look it up.) Just about anything would boost CNN's ratings, including a washed-up half-governor known more for the ridiculous things she says than for anything substantive she's ever contributed to anything. They could even bring her in on that nifty hologram technology thingy from her home in Alaska so that they could get in a dig at Fox News for building a studio in Palin's Wasilla house.
But the perfect place for Palin to alight would have to be MSNBC. The political diametric opposite of Fox News Channel, the more liberally bent network could create a show around Palin and anchor Rachel Maddow. Palin's avid anti-intellectualism and regressive conservatism could be spotlighted for its vapidness, used as a foil by Maddow to address the anachronistic ills besetting the Republican Party. In the end, it would be a win-win for all concerned, as extreme conservatives like Hannity and Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh would rally behind their intellectually inferior champion with cries of bullying while liberals and less Neanderthal-oriented conservatives would point out the apparent weaknesses of Palin's positions.
Regardless, no matter where she goes or what she does (like make public appearances, give speeches, or remain politically active via her connections and her Super PAC), Palin will always have the moral support of the moron club that is "Fox and Friends." And if she ever feels lonely for attentions, she doesn't have to worry about being the focus of a Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert segment or two on Comedy Central -- as long as she's talking.
Whether it is on television or in a speech or on Facebook, talking is one thing Sarah Palin is just about guaranteed to keep doing. She's made a career out of saying nothing and being able to fill up time by talking is something she handles like a pro.
Of course, she could always star in another reality show, a genre of programming that has its own share of idiots and a place where she assuredly feels comfortable. But rest assured, Palin will find herself a (media outlet) village somewhere...
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