Photo Op

It pains me to admit that, in this particular case, she has a point. And it's not on the top of her head. Sarah Palin has declared that Newsweek's cover, featuring her with elbows akimbo in her running shorts is "sexist." Especially in light of the fact that the picture was taken for the August issue of "Runner's World." In this context, the apparel and the pose still land just this side of cheesecake, but it's about physical fitness. That article was entitled "I'm A Runner," while the Newsweek article blares: "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Sarah? She's Bad News For The GOP - And Everybody Else Too." The whole package may be just a little subtle for the average reader, don't you think?
And speaking of thinking, here's what Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham had to say in his defense: "We chose the most interesting image available to us to illustrate the theme of the cover, which is what we always try to do. We apply the same test to photographs of any public figure, male or female: does the image convey what we are saying? That is a gender-neutral standard." How does Sarah Palin in her running togs equate with "A Problem Like Sarah?" I may be missing the point, but it does seem to me that next week we should be treated to a shirtless Barack Obama wading back to the beach with the headline: "He's Back From Overseas!"
The magazine is called "Newsweek," not "National Lampoon." It's the kind of thing that even Jon Stewart would be sheepish about flaunting, ready to apologize for the shoddy Photoshop work. No, it's not the photo that's been manipulated, it's the message. It's like the dull look that the boys in Spinal Tap give when they're told that their album art for "Smell The Glove" is sexist. Sexist? Is there something wrong with that?
What burns me is the number of things that could legitimately be pointed out or debated about Sarah Palin and her vision for the future. But for now, the media seems to be taking the easy way out. Careful on that one, because victims gain sympathy, and sympathy can turn into votes, and before you know it, we'll all be wearing little black shorts and running to work.