Preview: Palin’s Fox News Special – Steve Krakauer – Media ITE

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The hour is made up of inspiring people, focusing on everyday heroes from across the spectrum. The ’stock hero’ nature of the stories – helping children, Marine, boy and his dog – doesn’t make each tale tug less at your heartstrings. Many of the stories conclude with short interviews between the key participants and Palin on a set in front of a studio audience, brief interactions that allow Palin, and likely Fox News, a chance to see her flex potential talk show muscles.

The special begins with Palin speaking directly to the camera. “Heroism, courage, generosity, a warrior’s spirit – these are the things that unite all Americans,” she says. Then we’re off to meet George Weiss, who started the “Say Yes” program and is helping kids all over the country go to college. Weiss’ story, as the others, are voiced by Palin, so her role of narrator makes it seem like we get more Palin that we actually do. There are subtle political undertones to the Weiss report, and a few others – in a follow-up interview with the “Say Yes” program head of the Harlem chapter, Palin praises the work of “private sector contribution.”

The next story tells the circumstances surrounding the heroic death of a young Marine (as detailed in the book The Gift of Valor), with the third focusing on Cole Massie, a special needs boy who was “saved” by Elia, his dog. Massie and his family (and dog) were on set after, for a relevant talk with Palin about living with special needs children (with her own experience at the forefront of viewer’s minds). If anyone had any doubt at this point if the show would be successful, the impossibly adorable Cole, who starts his answers with “Well, Ms. Palin…” and throws around phrases like “the sky’s the limit,” puts that to rest.

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