Dan Riehl: ‘The Undefeated’ is our story, not just Sarah Palin’s

"All Sarah Palin ever did was speak out boldly for many of us."
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Here are some excerpts from Dan Riehl's eloquent review of The Undefeated. It is so well crafted, in fact, that it speaks for itself. No additional commentary is required:

From my first viewing of a rough cut of “The Undefeated” over a week ago, to re-visiting the opening four times now, as an individual deeply passionate about conservative politics – even if often expressed confrontationally, I’ve not been able to get through it once without checking back tears born of a mix of emotions - from sadness and anger, to frustration and deep concern. I’m not ashamed to say, on more than one occasion, said checking failed.

However, the tears are not for, or about, Sarah Palin. I consider myself a fan, certainly, but am not so naive as to entrust my entire politics and beliefs in any one person, or political figure – not even Ronald Reagan. It’s the painful realization of a broader truth for America and America’s current politics that grabbed me up and invested me so deeply in Bannon’s film. Besides, why cry for Sarah Palin, she is and remains “The Undefeated,” in the grand scheme? At no time does the film take on what would have been an unfortunate tone, that of making her appear a victim, somehow. Palin is a fighter and a survivor, as the film makes abundantly clear.

Beginning with the very end of Senator John McCain’s introduction of then Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, at the 2008 GOP convention, one sees, first the Palin children and family, then a glowing Palin take center-stage – cutting away before she utters a single word. But what might, or should, that moment have meant to earnest conservatives of a more populist strain looking in at the time?

Here was a woman hardly known, at least nationally, thrust into the limelight, a woman, potentially - it was thought - capable of giving significant hope and inspiration to grassroots conservatives not as excited with the McCain nomination, as they might have been, ideally. The expectations upon her that night were all but surreal.

Like many, I had no idea if she would deliver, or crash and burn in just one more bit of political miscalculation by the McCain campaign. Yet, instead, she soared! Sarah Palin delivered what many a sincere conservative wanted and needed to become excited about the 2008 race. And she went right on doing it throughout the Fall – and continues to do it, even now, in many ways.

And for that and that alone, what did she get? Cut to the next three minutes of the opening of Bannon’s “The Undefeated,” as the likes of Matt Damon, Rosie O’Donnell, David Letterman, Bill Maher, and so many others, hurl insult and slander one after another at her: slutty, idiot, retard - with a retarded child, moron, c*nt, cartoon, hockey mom, tw*t, a nice looking parrot, dumb, get out of our face, stupid bitch … and on it goes – until this day, to a degree. But that’s only because Palin’s still standing, true to form and film, she remains “The Undefeated” even now after all of that.

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- JP