Bristol -- Helping Sarah's Public Image

I’ve already made some snide remarks about a prominent Democrat’s daughter.

It’s only fair I move on to a prominent Republican’s daughter.

And who better to pick on than the daughter of the GOP’s sweetheart, Bristol Palin?

You probably heard of 19-year-old Bristol’s announcement that she was engaged (again) to her baby’s father, Levi Johnston. That announcement was made official on July 14.

You probably also heard of the engagement’s termination (again), also made official on July 14.

The media is lapping this one up. Love! Intrigue! Betrayal!

First Bristol made things a little awkward for her mom by getting pregnant at about the time the then-vice-presidential candidate was touting her convictions about teen abstinence.

Since then, Bristol has attempted to smooth the awkwardness over by getting engaged to Levi -- then breaking up with him -- then getting engaged to him again and breaking up with him again practically on the same day.

Wow.

Yeah, you’re really helping out your mom’s attempt to build a Mayberry RFD public image ahead of the 2012 elections.

Sarah Palin has some backpedaling to do.

First of all, if I were to give Sarah some advice, I would start by telling her to scrap the whole “perfect family” façade. It ain’t exactly working.

Second, I’d tell her to go for the “average, dysfunctional, drama-saturated, can’t-keep-a-commitment, my-teenage-daughter-is-pregnant American family” look. Reasons? One: That’s what the Palin household is. Just cut the crap and admit it. Two: If you want to identify with the average American family (i.e., potential voters), this is the way to do it. You’re walking their walk, you’re living their life.

But I suppose that would mean going for the “honest politician” look. That, of course, would be declaring to the American public that you’re full of it, since we all know there’s no such thing.

Yup, the Palin clan is in a bit of a tough spot.

All thanks to Bristol and her sound judgment regarding sex and relationships.

I wonder if somewhere about now, Sarah is swatting Bristol on the back of the head.

“Is there anything ELSE stupid you can do?”

Well . . . she could always become her mom’s publicist.

"Vote for my mom! She may not be able to make me toe the line, but she'll do a great job running an entire country!"

Oh yeah. I'm sold.