Sarah Palin: From One Hockey Mom to Another

By JANE MATHESON

Updated 12:30 AM EST, Wed, Nov 12, 2008

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I didn’t plan on being riveted by Sarah Palin’s interview with Matt Lauer this morning on the NBC Today show. This hockey mom (field hockey in my family’s case) was busy packing lunches, yelling at the kids, feeding the dogs and emptying the dishwasher. As a writer/producer at NBC10, I cast a casual eye towards the kitchen TV in case I missed any groundbreaking revelation by the Governor-now-back-in-Alaska.

As I carried on my morning routine, Palin routinely defending her former running mate and continually called him “An American Hero.” My hand was on the remote control “off” button by the fifth “American Hero.” But then my interest was a little more piqued when Matt steered the conversation to her designer suit scandal. Nope, no good answers here either; although I did notice Palin was wearing what was obviously her own ill-fitting suit jacket. Nice color, but someone should have told her to wear the proper bra. It looked like she wasn’t wearing one at all.

Just as I poured myself another cup of coffee, I got the jolt. Not from the coffee or Matt’s conversation, but of the surroundings. Hubby Todd was holding the well-behaved baby. Kitchen clean, but some clutter especially mail and paper. But wait, look behind them!

Way in the background, over the plasma TV was a big moose head. Not the beer, the mammal! All this talk about Palin being a wind-up doll for the GOP, and the Republican top brass didn’t order Caribou Barbie to remove the antlered atrocity from her wall? Or did she “buck” the system, and demand it stay? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. This IS Alaska and this IS the home of Annie Oakley and her marksman mate.

I am guessing by the time you read this, Saturday Night Live has already written a whole skit around the poor beheaded moose. I’ve seen one of these majestic creatures “live” while rafting the snake river at Yellowstone National Park. I am the newsroom animal lover who gets way too worked up every time we run a story about a neglected or abused pet. And don’t get me started on hunting or gun ownership! You can guess I didn’t vote for Palin and her maverick running mate. But today I’m the mom-with –the-messy- house, who is almost impressed with the other hockey mom who let the public peek in on her bad taste in décor. You know I’m going to be watching Part Two tomorrow!

Jane Matheson is a writer/producer for NBC10.