Martin Eisenstadt’s Blog

Two weeks ago I broke the story in this blog that Barack Obama was scheduled to appear on the November 1st episode of Saturday Night Live. One of Sarah Palin’s aides had overheard a drunken Seth Meyers at the SNL afterparty saying as much. My post was picked up throughout the mainstream media, gossip columns and political blogosphere (everything from the LA Times to Huffington Post to The Weekly Standard). Now comes the confirmation from Seth Meyers that while Obama had been invited, because of his desperate 11th-hour campaign schedule he likely won’t be there.

But John McCain will be on SNL. Why? Apparently Lorne Michaels was so embarrassed and bristled by my blog that tied his invitation to Obama to Michaels’ $4,600 donation to his campaign, that he (and his bosses at GE) were forced to backtrack and invite McCain instead. Michaels apparently got called to the carpet from the GE bigwigs, whose eponymous political action committee, General Electric Company Political Action Committee or GEPAC, makes massive donations to Republican causes that dwarf Michael’s maxed-out contribution to Obama. For example, GEPAC gave

• $30,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee
• $30,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee
• $7500 to the Republican Majority Fund
• $9000 to the (Republican) Senate Majority Fund
• $4000 to convicted Sen. Ted Stevens
• $5000 to 21st Century Majority Fund
• $4000 to Rep. Michele Bachman
• $10,000 to the Committee for the Preservation of Capitalism
• $8500 to Every Republican is Crucial (ERICPAC)
• $5000 to the Freedom & Democracy Fund (no longer affiliated with my own Harding Institute for Freedom & Democracy)

All together, it adds up to well over $1.2 million. (to be sure, they give money to the Dems, too, but way more to the GOP). And yes, this is starting to feel like an episode of 30 Rock, with Alec Baldwin’s fictional Republican GE executive Jack Donaghy taking Tina Fey’s Liz Lemon to task for inviting Barack Obama onto The Girlie Show. Welcome to the NBC funhouse!

Update: Nov. 1- afternoon - Just got word from the campaign that since I was the one credited with the jiu-jitsu of getting McCain invited to appear, I’ve been invited to go behind-the-scenes with the McCain entourage during the show. I’m writing this on the Acela as we speak, heading up to New York. From what Sarah Palin’s staff told me the last time she was there, the show’s a blast to see in person, but the real action is at the after party. If I’m not still recovering, I’ll let you know how it goes on Sunday or Monday.