Levi Johnston: America’s Sweetheart
Frances Martel
Levi Johnston is a creation of the Twilight Zone or, at the very least, its Canadian cousin from the 1980s, The Hitchhiker. As the host of that drug-fueled venture might say, “Sarah Palin thought she could position herself one heartbeat away from the presidency. Instead, she’s managed to position herself a baby away from the a burgeoning gay icon.” Once a run-of-the-mill athletic high schooler from a dead-end town, Johnson found himself wrapped in the fist of the Republican National Committee and wiggled himself out just in time to become the living embodiment of the American Dream.
Johnston joins the ranks of Kevin Federline, Michael Lohan, and new buddy Jon Gosselin as an embattled parent milking the success of his sperm for all it’s worth. The major difference between Johnston and his colleagues is that, unlike the others, Johnston did not set out to make himself famous, actually wants to spend time with his son and, as a result, comes off as a likable oaf who through no fault of his own has stumbled upon the limelight. He is also younger, better looking, and a much more powerful political force than any of the others, if only by virtue of whom he chose to impregnate. Whether Johnston recognizes the impact he is having on the conservative movement is still a matter of debate, but his tabloid appeal has dragged the image of Sarah Palin, already on the ground, through some deep mud in an unprecedented way.
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