I’m know someone else has beaten me to the concept. McCain has done nothing but stunts and reckless high stakes gambles throughout his political (and personal history), hoping to reinforce his “maverick” issue and gaming the media for free coverage. You can safely consider his flirting with the religious right with the Palin pick to be the biggest gamble yet. Slate has a list of future McCain stunts, but it appears that he’s still not done.
The concept of “jumping the shark” comes from a “Happy Days” episode where Fonzy “jumps the shark”. Typically, a show “jumps the shark” once it is past it’s time, and the ratings are beginning to slide. Different tactics might be the death of a beloved character, the introduction of an irrascible scamp, a traumatic or topical even (as in “a very special” series name), the birth of a child, the musical episode, or the wedding episode.
After shrieking that the lives of Sarah Palin, her unborn child, and the father of the child were out-of-bounds for commentary, the McCain-Palin campaign has used them as photo-ops. It looks like it will happen again, in a very special shotgun wedding, with Bristol Palin and baby’s daddy Levi Johnston due to wed, just in time for sweeps for the election, counting again on more free coverage.
When asked for a statement, the shark had no comment.
Tags: arthurfonzarelli, bristolpalin, happydays, johnmccain, jumptheshark, levijohnston, sarahpalin, stunts, wedding
