It was a ceremony to pardon a turkey for Thanksgiving. This type of thing goes on all the time (the president does it every year), is a hackneyed public relations ploy devoid of any meaning, and is solely a publicity stunt. Going in, we know it's a waste of time. However, in this instance, they didn't even do the farce correctly. Primarily, the turkey chosen to be pardoned appeared to be covered in its own waste (reminding one of the terrible conditions in slaughterhouses/the food supply). Secondly, she chose to host her press conference after this for-the-tv ridiculousness directly in front of other turkeys being slaughtered, revealing the utter hollowness of her claims of pardon and thanksgiving. Third, she revealed in the press conference that, instead of foregoing turkey like she just claimed she was doing in said publicity stunt, she was in fact in charge of cooking the turkey for her family on that day. It was an exercise in ridiculousness, yes, but even moreso because it was expressly undermined by her actions both before, during, and after the act of pardon itself.
But you gotta admit, those cards she read for the pardon had as much authenticity and flavor as that cranberry topping that retains its can shape when you serve it.
And, of course, there's the whole irony and symbolism aspects: Palin smiling and babbling on incoherently as usual in front of the destruction of the turkey (read: carcass of the GOP). It's landslide-o-riffic!
