8:14 PM
Pundit
So, the object of my ridicule, Sarah Palin is coming to India to deliver the keynote address at the India Today Conclave.
Here's what I told the Americans at HuffPo and IM,
Before any of you fret and wring your hands over this too much, let me reassure you a little bit.
Atithi Devo Bhava. (Guest is God)
I'm sure Indians will go all out to make sure the Palin camp has a safe and memorable visit.
I'm sure lots will fawn over her celebrity status.
But I'm also fairly confident we are all in on the joke. Indians, broadly speaking, love politics and are keenly aware of US-India relations and India's position on the global stage.
The Living Media conglomerate that owns the India Today weekly magazine (compare it to TIME) and runs this annual conference has previously invited Pakistani dictator and former President Musharraf and American film maker, James Cameron post-AVATAR.
So my first reaction to this news is, it's all about ratings.
It's a pretty smart exploitative nationalistic calculation by the organizers. The India Today people know Palin's participation guarantees unprecedented international media exposure which will boost the profile of their annual event. The Palin obsessed American MSM will cover every minute of this trip.
I would pay to be a fly on the wall if Palin meets Sonia Gandhi.
I would love to see how Palin reacts to the people, the food, the dress, the intellect, the socialist traditions, the political philosophies, the youth, the business community, the poverty, the history, the culture, the religions, the free press, everything.
This should be a riot.
Here's what I told the Americans at HuffPo and IM,
Before any of you fret and wring your hands over this too much, let me reassure you a little bit.
Atithi Devo Bhava. (Guest is God)
I'm sure Indians will go all out to make sure the Palin camp has a safe and memorable visit.
I'm sure lots will fawn over her celebrity status.
But I'm also fairly confident we are all in on the joke. Indians, broadly speaking, love politics and are keenly aware of US-India relations and India's position on the global stage.
The Living Media conglomerate that owns the India Today weekly magazine (compare it to TIME) and runs this annual conference has previously invited Pakistani dictator and former President Musharraf and American film maker, James Cameron post-AVATAR.
So my first reaction to this news is, it's all about ratings.
It's a pretty smart exploitative nationalistic calculation by the organizers. The India Today people know Palin's participation guarantees unprecedented international media exposure which will boost the profile of their annual event. The Palin obsessed American MSM will cover every minute of this trip.
I would pay to be a fly on the wall if Palin meets Sonia Gandhi.
I would love to see how Palin reacts to the people, the food, the dress, the intellect, the socialist traditions, the political philosophies, the youth, the business community, the poverty, the history, the culture, the religions, the free press, everything.
This should be a riot.
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