show me the bounce for Messiah, The Rock Star
With the Euro pushing 1.60, I’m guessing most Americans aren’t rushing to the Lufthansa and Air France Terminals for a culture-injecting summer vacation. I’ve already declined 2 weddings in Europe for this very reason. The economy here at home seems beyond repair. If you’re not feeling it, your last name is
Buffet. Maybe that is why the only bounce Senator Obama is seeing on his summer abroad is a bunch of screaming bra-less German girls.
QUESTION: Why do you think Barack Obama is in a “dead heat” (Chris Matthews words, not mine!) with the 71-year old presumptive Republican nominee?
on July 25th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
the precious is in a dead heat with johnny ’cause precious peaked loooooong time ago; not too many kool-aid drinkers left.
on July 25th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
He is now Barackworst.
on July 25th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Cold be heart and hand and bone, cold be travelers far from home.
They do not see what lies ahead, when sun has failed and moon is dead.
on July 25th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I think the people are starting to see him as the rest of us PUMA….which is encouraging.
“Tolkien’s story is a great tale when read simply for the story itself, underneath the story lies a profound metaphor which taps into great reservoirs of spiritual truth. ”
http://www.amazon.com/review/R10FY6SE5X3ZYR
on July 25th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I think that people are starting to wake up from the trance they were in. Day by day there are more people recognizing that beneath it all they are really PUMAs. And they are ready to join us as we roar: Just Say No Deal!
on July 25th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Obama in Berlin
“Now the world will watch and remember what we do here - what we do with this moment.”
Lincoln in Gettysburg
“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here”
Good Lord, Obama’s trying to channel President Lincoln.
on July 25th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
heaven help us flowerchild, could the ego get any bigger!!!!!!!
he’s always channeling someone …. like i said yesterday - Milli Vanilli!!
on July 25th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/gerard_baker/article4392846.ece
“And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land from the Arabian desert to the shores of the Great Lakes had been laid barren, that a Child appeared in the wilderness. The Child was blessed in looks and intellect. Scion of a simple family, offspring of a miraculous union, grandson of a typical white person and an African peasant. And yea, as he grew, the Child walked in the path of righteousness, with only the occasional detour into the odd weed and a little blow.
When he was twelve years old, they found him in the temple in the City of Chicago, arguing the finer points of community organisation with the Prophet Jeremiah and the Elders. And the Elders were astonished at what they heard and said among themselves: “Verily, who is this Child that he opens our hearts and minds to the audacity of hope?”
….And suddenly, with the men appeared the archangel Gabriel and the whole host of the heavenly choir, ranks of cherubim and seraphim, all praising God and singing: “Yes, We Can.” ……
on July 25th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
just read this - - simply priceless…thanks for sharing!!!!!!
perfect for the “MESSIAH” post…
meanwhile another must read in the LA TIMES:
The Democrat is winning fans on his trip abroad, but is struggling to gain real ground against McCain at home. Some key Clinton backers remain alienated.
on July 25th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
You can’t expect anything less from a sell out and a poser. Give him enough rope and he will take care of the rest. As for Rep. the red machine will roll after the convention….just you watch.
on July 25th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
“Now I could stand up here and say, let’s get everybody together, let’s get unified the sky will open, the light will come down, celestial choirs will be singing “And everyone will know we should do the right thing, and the world will be perfect.” “But I have no illusions about how hard this is going to be. You are not going to wave a magic wand and make the special interests disappear”
Senator Clinton, February 2008
on July 25th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Ok I have had it -Obama dissing our men and women in uniform! his excuses are lame as the lame duck senator he will be in 2010!
Just as it is illegal for anyone to campaign in a military uniform it is illegal for a candidate to campaign on a military base or use american troops as a back drop of a campaign event.
Obama Knew these rules before he left it is part of the orientation of all freshman congresspersons and Senators. He has broken so many rules in this campaign, Obama was hoping to strong arm the Brass into breaking this one too. Well hurray for them they told him No absolutely Not! It is against the law Mr Senator and the military’s job is to defend the constitution not subvert it.
A civilian controlled military only works if it is non-partisan MR OBAMA(DOT PERIOD END OF DISCUSSION!) At lease the military has not surcumb to the charms of Evita…errrr….Obama. The military has never and should never be used a a campaign stop shame on you Obama shame on YOU!
I am sorry he is such a piss ant and I could never respect him ever after dissing our troops! I hope you lose badly so badly Mr Obama that you and your cronies drop dead from embarrassment! That will save us puma’s the hassel of hunting you down and throwing you out.
sorry as an x-naval officer I cant stand that man anywhere near one of our brave soldiers-I chaps my A$$ that if he was around a soldier and someone targeted him that poor soldier would try to take that bullet for him.
I am sure Obama would never consider returning the favor-I am Barak the Magnificent the world needs me-crock of sh*t!
sista and princess piper pass me a vomit bucket!
fuzzybeargville
on July 25th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I heard that he wanted them to rebuild the berlin wall for his visit!
fuzzybeargville
on July 25th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
The brass works for the POTUS, “W” should have allowed him to enter the installation then restrain him for the duration. Now that would have been priceless!
on July 25th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
You must all hate yourselves? I would have voted for Hillary, but reading this website, I find it difficult you were Hillary supporters. Very strange ones I must say. You want this country to keep on being hated at an unforeseen level due to a continuation of bush admin policies? I would have liked to see a woman in power for a change, but not all men are evil. Sorry if that’s the impression I get from this website
on July 25th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
You must hate yourself for beleiving that this man should run this country.
on July 25th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Wait….you must hate us for standing for our principle and values rather than succumbing to your system of social beliefs that the messiah will unite the world. lol……the man just insulted your foundation and belief and you kiss his arse.
on July 25th, 2008 at 9:36 pm
Charles Scott I believe Obama is more a-moral rather than evil he is capable of true evil but only when it serves his purpose. For example, I do not believe that Obama would send 6 million jews to death camps because he has any thing against them or believes they are less than human (this would be evil in its purest form).
I do believe that if sending 6 million Jews, Gays, Lesbians, Uppity Women to the gas chambers would and were the only way to ensure Obama’s election then he would do it in a heartbeat or a chicago minute. When the deed was done his supporters would surely blame the victims and say “what I meant to do….” and what I meant to say…: (this is self serving and a-moral and as such with in obama’s capibilities.)
Sorry if the above seems extreme but look at darfur and kenya(obama’s family homeland)Rwanda and Bruni where genocide is practiced as national policy.
I am sorry but that is my belief about the man. I do not hate myself I love myself and my friends and my country that is why the thought of this man as president of our country makes me sick.
oh and by the by charles scott -good talking points did you get them from obama for america the daily cheater or the yellow Ko’s?
also- mccain is not an evil man you twit he served his country with pride and is more liberal than obama on a good day.
fuzzybeargville
on July 25th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Damn, Michael, You are good!
on July 25th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
hi guys……this story has legs….ap, cnn & wapo just updated their links and it’s now being called “controversy”….
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/25/obama.troops/
on July 25th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
hey princess iv been getting e-mail from all over from texas pumas that wanted that reporters contac info . hopefully we make some noice . hear in texas i taked to him & im e-mailing him my story
go hillary
on July 25th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
yea he could have at least visited some of the are men & women in uniform
shows low class if you ask me.
on July 25th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
hey bm…princess here…
on July 25th, 2008 at 10:54 pm
u spoke to the dude at Austin Statesman? that’s great…
on July 25th, 2008 at 10:56 pm
we put out a press release on obama’s dissing of the troops….on home page of JSND - not good for obama…lot of other negative stories bout his expensive secret svc details, his dissing of reporters in europe (fake interviews) - and his failure to bounce
on July 25th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Even this isn’t helping…
Check this out…
July 21st Editions of Newsweek & Time Pander as Obama Travels: One “Revisits” His “Spiritual Quest,” the Other Uses Mandela (and Fudges His Birthdate, Prints an Old Web Story as Current, and Uses a “Black Power” Fist to Illustrate)
http://tinyurl.com/66hztu
preview:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/66hztu
on July 25th, 2008 at 11:50 pm
im still trying to get that journalist contact info
thats wrighting a book on the election princess
go hillary
on July 26th, 2008 at 12:02 am
if it comes of to the american people the the pied piper is dissing the troops thats could be the beginnig of the end for obama that alone may change alot of the Sds minds abought him .
on July 26th, 2008 at 12:17 am
i think its just a bunch of BS that obama said that the pentagon said it was inappropriate for him to visit the troops .
on July 26th, 2008 at 1:23 am
no Rey, I don’t think he insulted our country, i think our country’s behavior over the course of the current administration speaks for itself and needs to be reversed. McCain, I do not believe, will be able to do this. And no, I do not hate all of you for speaking your mind just perplexed. It appears that you would be willing to reward mccain for being one of the proponents that has lead to approx a trillion dollar war, over 4000 soldiers killed, and who knows how many injured. I do believe Hillary (in spite of her authorizing the bush administration) and Obama who at least spoke out against this mess before the invasion never would have put us in this disastrous position. McCain on the other hand would have taken us down the same road into Iraq and put our country more at risk (overallocating our military away from the correct war) Bill and Bush Sr new better, clearly McCain does not.
Michael Varvel , no I did not get anything from the Daily Kos?? more like Bill Moyers on PBS would be my authoritative resource. Using the holocaust (I hope just a terrible hyperbole) seems to really distorts your message.
I’m dissapointed that the Democratic party cannot unify after such an incredible turnout and the reasoning for my inquiries.
on July 26th, 2008 at 3:34 am
I totally disagree with your in your notion that McCain will take us on the same path. You can read all about the information regarding the prequel to the iraqi invasion at http://zfacts.com (which I beleived is part of moveon.org could be wrong) to get your information straight rather than fabricating a story that hasn’t happen and have no substance and will not happen. Yes, he is a repub in affiliation but, that’s like saying that BO is Rev. wright, right? What you think?
I sense stereotyping on your tone, which I find lacking of reason and draws a perfect example of what we have to deal with during the primary and curent.
1. Bush eluded the war and started an unnecessary war. not the brightest person in the world but he is a Patriot and proud american despite of what we think of him and how much we want ot impeach him.
2. McCain fought a War that the Democratic President started. refuse a special treatment as a son of an Admiral in POW. Served on public service for years. He is a true measure of a patriot other than those who gives the unltimate sacrifice. And please don’t try to accomodate the word of patriotism to those who are in lacking of substance.
3. Obama…oh yes! lets have fun with this.
A) Obama, have no idea what a war is, yet have the audacity to takes credit of ending one. Go figure…
b) Presume that he is now the leader of the free world. it’s rather premature don’t you think?
c) Flip flop on all the issues….meaning he lies, not a man of principles.
d) Claims to be a patriot, yet he dislike the people that he wishes to lead and lets not forget the flag pin and presenting the hand to the national anthem. what’s so wrong about us? Don’t we give enough to those who are in need here and the rest of the world? What have they ever done for us to qualify there opinions of who we should elect, charles?
e) Hate group association and criminals….oh boy! isn’t michelle a winner, charles?
f) Have no experience in the corporate world, much less manage a country with this magnitude. Tell us how he’s going to do it, charles? have you bothered to question that?
You know, a crowd is just a picture of faces where thers’s no love, man. If you are not offended with this doofus rethoric, then you are part of the problem on this country.
on July 26th, 2008 at 5:36 am
don’t believe what the cnn polls tell you about Germany’s barack luv - they quoted a tabloid, bild am sonntag, which - for all we know - could have taken kickbacks from obama’s campaign for positive reporting. would trust axelrod to do something like that - buy coverage from the worst and cheapest tabloids - typical astroturfing.
on July 26th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Obama in Berlin
“Now the world will watch and remember what we do here - what we do with this moment.”
Lincoln in Gettysburg
“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here”
Good Lord, Obama’s trying to channel President Lincoln.
SO what else is new, flowerchild?
Almost every politician of the 20th cenury, in the big speeches, stole a line from someone else.
Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, in a Memorial Day address is 1884 stated: “It is now the moment when by common consent we pause to become conscious of our national life and to rejoice in it, to recall what our country has done for each of us, and to ask ourselves what we can do for our country in return.”
compare to the demi-god jfk’s inaugural speech …
on July 26th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Hi Rey, I have and will never question McCain’s patriotism in vietnam. Similarly, I never questioned Bill’s (for lack of military other than ROTC) when he ran against Bush41 who served admirably in WWII. I also believe the British never questioned Winston Churchill’s patriotism after WWII. A common thread to these politicians is that they were not (re)elected (in the case of bush41 and churchill and perhaps will not be elected in the case of McCain). Patriotism was obviously not necessary and sufficient for the office. So ok let’s have some fun on your bullet points:
A)
He just simply spoke against the war when it was unpopular to do so and is sticking to it…. I realize that he was not a us senator at the time but it was part of his platform on becoming one.
b)
Disagree, I see nothing factual here, just a subjective observation (a citizen of the world is not presumptuous). Anyone who is under consideration to lead this country has a huge responsibility and I respect your opinion that McCain is qualified. I believe he is qualified as well, just inferior choice (my subjective opinion).
c)
There is plenty of flip-flopping to go around. I think the hispanics have figured that out (immigration). Tolerating torture (giving bush leway when he should know better). Rove-v-wade in 1999 he said he would not repeal it. recently he wrote the right-to-life committee that he would be involved in the repealing of it. South Carolina and the Confederate flag. Intelligent design in schools as science
d) Superficial and meaningless referring to a flag pin or national anthem.
e) Too much fist bumping for you Rey?
f) Corporate experience is not a prerequisite for a president. Demonstrating the ability to work with the international community, I believe, is. Foreign policy is my main criteria for my presidential vote.
If i heard the argument that you were looking for a split in the judicial and executive branches (democrat/republican split), i think i could respect your argument better. I personally feel we need at least 2 to 4 years of a democratic judicial/executive branches to reverse the damage. I am skeptical of the Democratic party, believe me…. However, I am willing to give them a few years to put this country back on course where we can hopefully achieve balance again in the future.
on July 26th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Correction: i meant executive and legislative branches not judicial
on July 26th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Hey Charles,
A) His stance in Fisa make me question the authenticity of that platform along with his his stance in other issues and his voting records reflects in my fear and an my animosity.
B) Really? you are applying for a CEO position in company “A” and you’re told they will give you a call by november if they decide to hire you after reviewing the other qualified candidate. Then you go to company “B” and propose that once in office, I would like to change our approach of policy regarding our handling of business, since the current CEO is destroying the foundation of company “A”. Is that ethical or the right way to approach to the scenario? or do you think I’m still subjective?
C) Yes…agree and it’s part of life. However, you need to look at the impact and judge that accordingly. I beleived if this was a flip flop popularity contest, BO would have won it by a state….a continent for that matter
D) Complacent to bondage attitude. You don’t care about being an American. Else you wouldn’t say that and make a mockery of the many generation before us.
E) Her thesis is a reflection of her true feelings. People don’t change we learn, therefore I truly beleived she was never proud to be an American in a white man’s world till now. And I still question her feeling.
F) Try moral values.
on July 26th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
sorry charlie only the best tuna gets to be serve up fro puma dinner.
do not lecture me about the holocaust what I am saying that almost allthe current places where genocide is practiced as national policy are in africa including mr obama’s motherland Kenya…where it is practiced on rival christian tribes by obama’s kinfolks.
mr obama has not spoken about kenya and his messages about darfur are cryptic and speak from both sides of the mouth. if my argument seems distorted then to phrase your candidate “let me be perfectly clear….”
I believe that senator obama is capable of doing anything necessary to achieve his goals of victory if he was told that 6 million people needed to be silenced or 18 million for that matter he would do what is necessary to silence them. If he can lock them out of the convention he will, if they needed to be gassed before the november election and it were in his power to do it he would do it.
it would not be personal he would not do it because he hates these people he would do it because these people are in the way of his goals. this act would be processed by senator obama’s brain as “necessary and proper to his function.”
you will not get unity from us Puma’s we will not support obama under any condition-if the result is president john mccain then it is obama for america’s fault and the fault of the dnc. they pre-sellected a candidate whom most of us feel is weak and unable to preform the job he seeks. he has deep character flaws which we cannot get around and as i said he is a-moral and a divider.
oh and bill moyer fm pbs checks out the talking points at obama for amerika before he opens his mouth 2 degrees of seperation.
you have no chance of getting us to drink the koolaid or making us feel guilty if mccain is elected president it is your fault and the fault of everyone who supported the weaker candidate.
fuzzybeargville
on July 26th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
heh…heh..he said….tuna. LMAO!!!
on July 26th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I never imagined getting support from you, just trying to get a better understanding of why. I will summarize that you feel mccain is better qualified experience wise and will agree to disagree. Bill Moyers is someone who I trust and has always been a champion of anti-corruption in government. The kool-aid tastes great btw…, enjoy the crow in November! But in all seriousness I figure this debating is healthy, I retract my original comment with respect to “hating yourselves” (at least it got a response for healthy dialog) and I think we will agree on one point (hopefully): we will be better off with the new administration whichever it is.
on July 26th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
” I think we will agree on one point (hopefully): we will be better off with the new administration whichever it is.”
Then that nullifies the argument regarding McCain’s association with bush war, right? More of a reason you should vote for him, the lesser evil. Will see how things turn around after the convention.
on July 27th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
I, like Charles, was considering Hillary after my candidate, John Edwards, dropped out. Then I started to really listen to Hillary. After super Tuesday, all of a sudden all votes should count AFTER she said that if Michigan and Florida were to vote ahead of their prospective primaries, their votes should not count. Then she put her name on the ballot in Michigan AFTER she signed a pledge that she would not campaign or participate in states that hold their primaries before Feb 2. Then it was the Bosnia lie. She said not once, not twice but THREE times that she was under gun fire and that is the truth. Then she stated that she helped in the peace agreement of Northern Ireland in which she had nothing to do with that peace agreement. Then it is the matter on how she ran her campaign like picking Mark Penn a corporate CEO that also have clients such as Blackwater USA. And while she publicly said that she was against the Columbian Trade deal, Mark and Bill were making deals with the Columbians and Bill even took money from there. Is this how she is going to pick her advisors and cabinet members? And the fact that in 2007 she was the front runner with a huge lead and more money than Obama. Now she is in the red by $30 mils? Is this fiscal responsibility? I really don’t see the “Experience” that she and the PUMAs are taunting. I could go on and on but what’s the point? You are going to believe what ever you are going to believe anyways.
on July 28th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I would categorize the Bosnia misstatement as a misrememberence, not a lie. 1. She actually went to Bosnia. 2. There was sniper fire in the area. 3. Military personal told her there would be some diversion or something because of this concern. 4. She visited active duty soldiers.
1. When did Obama ever go anywhere that placed him in harm’s way on behalf of the U.S.A? Couldn’t be bothered to go to Afghanistan, could he?
2. When did Obama ever go anywhere that placed him in harm’s way on behalf of the U.S.A? Couldn’t be bothered to go to Afghanistan, could he?
3. When did Obama ever go anywhere that placed him in harm’s way on behalf of the U.S.A? Couldn’t be bothered to go to Afghanistan, could he?
4. Obama chose not to visit active duty soldiers, but chose to work out. Trying to get in shape for all the flip-flops, no doubt (H/T Jay Leno).
on July 30th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I would categorize the Bosnia misstatement as a misrememberence, not a lie. 1. She actually went to Bosnia. 2. There was sniper fire in the area. 3. Military personal told her there would be some diversion or something because of this concern. 4.
That’s still not what she said “I had to run under sniper fire” is no where like “there were reports of sniper fire”.
She described a harrowing scene in Tuzla, Bosnia, in which she and her daughter, Chelsea, had to run for cover as soon as they landed for a visit in 1996. But video footage of the day showed a peaceful reception in which a young girl greeted the first lady on the tarmac.
She claimed to have been exposed to hostile fire - which she wasn’t.
I’ve served in the former Yugoslavia, which is one reason why her claim pisses me off so much.
on August 3rd, 2008 at 10:59 am
Jeebus why in the hell are we still talking about Hillary’s bosnia gaff. Obamabots will believe what they want to believe which is anything that is bad,evil,rotten about Hillary Clinton.
That’s old news. But the fisa fliptiy-flop, the off shore oil drilling flipity-flop are in the here and now. And a United States Senator that is willing to vote to gut the constitution, which obama did when he voted for fisa has violated his oath of office. As did every other frakkin piece of crap in the senate that did the same. Oh by the way, Senator Clinton voted no. The evil witch probably just did it to make the obamamessiah look bad. And he did. he looked very bad and like a liar. cause other people like to call such things flip-flops, I call them lies.
Oh and every comment about obama does should not lead to a response of but, but, Clinton. what drivel.
on August 8th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
You people are sick. Why should we support a woman just because she is a woman? Why should we support a white person just because he or she is white? We stand for something better than race and sex baiting. Only women keep playing this battle of the sexes bullshit. If men were as bad as you say we are we would kick your ass and make you shut the fuck up. We are real good at violence you know. If you would vote for Hillary just because she is a woman then perhaps the 19th amendment was the biggest mistake in history.
on August 12th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
OZ - per your comment: If you would vote for Hillary just because she is a woman then perhaps the 19th amendment was the biggest mistake in history…
HUH? you obviously don’t appreciate our blog’s title: HIREHEEls.com
as in - we have the awesome task of hiring a president…in this case the best person for the job of commander-in-chief just happens to be a woman…
if nancy pelosi or claire mccaskill were running — i wouldn’t support them…
conversely, if condi were running, I’d consider it strongly…
I look at each person - or woman - individually…i suggest you do the same…and once u research senator fauxbama, u may just understand (and join) our fight !!!!
go hillary!!!!
on August 13th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Diane….This is from my blog….., best, Mark
Politicians Are Not “Rock Stars!”
(Danville, California)
Every campaign has its just plain ludicrous moment. In 1992, some nut asked Bill Clinton if he preferred “boxers or briefs.” Not only was the question inane, but the press coverage was equally as bad. In 1995, some poor reporter in Baltimore tried to ask newly-elected House Speaker Newt Gingrich the same question. Gingrich, whether you like him or not, properly excoriated the fool reporter by dressing him down in front of the entire press corps (and national TV audience) for asking such a ridiculous question. For those of us who still value quality journalism, it was a choice moment! (Such moments, sad to say, are far too infrequent these days).
So let’s fast forward to the 2008 campaign. This year’s bad cliche is to refer to candidates as “larger than life”: “Barack Obama is a rock star!” “Hillary Clinton is a rock star!” (OK, the picture here was “photo-shopped!”) I even heard former Gov. Mike Huckabee referred to as a “rock star!” Now Huckabee does play a mean bass guitar, sometimes in a band, but he is NOT a rock star. Nor is Obama or Clinton.
The only people who are actually “rock stars” are the rock stars themselves. It’s a self-describing title. You either are, or you aren’t. There’s no room for “wanna be’s” here. The Hall of Fame football coach and announcer John Madden has always railed against team owners and executives who pull football jerseys over their suits and then accept the team trophy in the locker room after the Super Bowl. Not only, he says, do they look foolish for wearing a football jersey over a coat and tie (and they do), but none of them ever played a down in the game! The point is that owners own, and players play. And, politicians make laws; and rock stars make music. Mixing the roles and metaphors in society is confusing (and in many cases is deceiving).
I have had the good fortune to have worked in both the music industry and the political world. The great lesson in life (as well as in entertainment, in sports and in politics) is, “Don’t try to be what you are not!”
Truth be told, most politicians are “dull as dirt.” I’ve been around a lot of them. Not all are dull, mind you. Former Sen. Bob Dole and current Rep. Barney Frank are among the funniest people I ever met. They have more jokes and one-liners than most stand-up comics. But they are the exceptions, not the rule.
Politicians are not “rock stars,” and I doubt whether anyone really wants them to be. The music business has been marred by excesses in sex, drugs and alcohol since time began. It’s a tough, grueling, often heartbreaking business that has taken its toll (even death) on countless who enter. Excess is an occupational temptation and an occupational hazard. Yes, and sometimes, the same pitfalls occur in the political world.
It’s a hard life, constantly living on stage and in a glass house, surrounded by a curious public and press.
But the analogy ends there. The real problem with calling politicians “rock stars” is that those doing so feel compelled to embellish the candidates - to make them something larger than life - which they are not. Former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, whom I got to know over my years as a Congressional Aide and as a reporter, used to refer to this phenomenon as “putting lipstick on a pig!” In the advertising business the old adage is “Sell the sizzle, not the steak!”
The problem with all of this from a media standpoint is that I see reporters (even on the networks), standing at a rally and reporting “live” that “Barack Obama is a rock star!” What this says, loud and clear, is that the reporter has nothing of real significance to say. Nothing about Obama’s biography; nothing about the candidate’s stance on issues; and no knowledge about the candidate’s voting record.
Comedian Jay Leno once joked that “Politics is show business for ugly people!” Cute line, but maybe he’s on to something. If Barack Obama becomes president, I want him to be more like Harry Truman than Ozzy Osbourne. If John McCain becomes president, I want him to be more Calvin Coolidge than Sid Vicious.
So let’s stop the media obsession with the “rock star” analogy. All it does is diminish the candidates, diminish the reporters using it, and - most of all - it diminishes what should be a great public debate.
I will keeping writing the “rocking blog” (OHMIGOD…did I just say that?) Tune in daily at http://www.MarkCurtisMedia.blogspot.com.
on August 23rd, 2008 at 10:36 pm
man, you guys are a bunch of sore losers. get over yourselves. He’s the nominee. If you’re an independent, fine. but if you consider yourselves democrats your a bunch of traitors.
I can’t believe you are repeating mcsames talking points. You are a disgrace.
on August 26th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
mark i couldn’t agree more with your comment. i’m still waiting for a debate about baracks education, work experience as opposed to insane mccain’s.
on August 27th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
ladies, this isn’t cumbayah, this is trench warfare. Already Bush is ready to cancel the last remaining vestige of Clinton’s legacy: FMLA. The coffee is brewing, take a sip. Democracy was overthrown in 1963…..go to the voting booth and remember the common man. BO isn’t the messiah but he’s all we have….Hillary is on the brink of becoming one of the most powerful legislators in history. Ladies, let’s don’t be girls…take off your heels and get your combat boots on.!