How Bob Dylan feels…

…about the election:

The Scary John McCain

Watching John McCain at this week’s town hall meeting was like watching the emperor from “Empire Strikes Back” or a smiling cadavour.

Slouched or upright, teeth strained and blinky-eyed, the war hero looked more like an uncomfortable soriority girl hit by a bout of ADD and rigor mortis than a world leader in-waiting. 

And what’s more, his roll-the-eyes, don’t-forget-to-wink-at-the-audience debate strategy was so badly acted out it wouldn’t make the cut at a high school play. 

He wasn’t smarter than the other guy, so he elevated his chin, puffed out his chest and pretended to know-it-all. 

It was almost sad to watch.

Economists Support Obama over McCain

According to a study, a majority of leading U.S. economists prefer Barack Obama.

The Economist magazine sent the questionaire to 683 researchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research. 163 responded. Out of 72 unaffliated with a political party, 71% believed Obama had a clearer scope of the U.S. economy.

“Even among Republicans Mr Obama has the edge: 46% versus 23% say Mr Obama has the better grasp of the subject,” according to the survey. 

A majority also preferred Obama’s tax plan.

Link: Examining the Candidates

Who Won the Debate?

McCain or Obama?

If you watched the opinion tracker on CNN.com that charted real-time feedback from viewers, the answer is Obama.

For more legitimate polling, visit the gallup polls

(and while we’re at it: who’s got the better teeth?)

The John McCain Campaign, The Debate – Review

John McCain, giving a thumbs-up to his campaign manager

In case you didn’t read the news on-line, John McCain did what everybody expected.

He smiled, boarded a plane, and headed to Mississippi after all.

His altruistic publicity stunt didn’t help legislators complete the bailout, but it did help his campaign–sort of.

It portrayed McCain as a man (a Leader if you will) so indebted to his country, he’d let his own future go in jeopardy.

Though the story is no story—”Make no mistake: John McCain did not ‘suspend’ his campaign,” said Obama spokesman Bill Burton—it was the lead everywhere—the Washington Post, the New York Times, CNN and NPR to name a few.

McCain said he suspended his campaign—mind you not off-the-cuff, out-of-breath running to a helicopter, but rather from a carefully penned script off a teleprompter aimed to squeeze as much sweaty drama from his political socks as possible—but really what did he suspended?

Fundraising?

He took 84 million in public financing and the Republic National Committee donates money to his campaign. Not a big sacrifice there.

Advertising?

Is there any better advertising than free advertising? Some news stories even hinted at ideas his commercials trumpet: John McCain: Patriotic, Unselfish, Great Leader.

(I’ll add: Politician).

But you have to give it to him. He snagged a great campaign manager: both stunts—this one and the Sarah Palin hiring—really wooed voters. Or at least tried to.

Coming to America?

Is it me or did they play the song “Coming to America” at the end of the Convention on Monday night? I thought I heard it.

What an odd choice if it was. Not only is Obama already in America, but he’s already an American (unlike the song’s inspiration, the Prince of Zamunda–aka. Eddie Murphy, Pre-Pre-Op). 

It’s an interesting song to choose, especially for a campaign dealing with Republicans questioning his “Americanism”.

Then you have Southerners calling him Barack Hussein and members of the Daughters of the American Revolution throwing off their kitchen aprons and loading up their antique rifles because “…did you know Barack Obama turns his back to the flag?!”

 

Edit: tonight at the Convention they played “Born in the U.S.A.” for his speech. Balance of the universe restored.

Politics as Entertainment?

Open mic night at the Democratic National Convention

 

Driving home last night, I turned on NPR. It was opening night at the Democratic National Convention, and Michelle Obama had just finished her speech.

As the applause settled and the exiting music started (a blog on this tomorrow), a reporter chimed in:

“And now let’s go to [enter some guy's name] and [some guy's name] to hear some post-game show analysis!”

“Post-game show analysis” I thought? What is this Monday Night Football? Did she say ”show”?

It got me thinking. When did politics become an “amusement” or “pastime” (definitions of game)?

What ever happened to good old fashion old-school politics? That dry-as-bread, crusty-old-white-guy talk on C-SPAN that I use to know so well, stumble upon and enjoy watching at 3 AM stoned and eating cheez-its?

True, as an adult, I follow politics more seriously. Not ‘cus I’d like to though. I do it now more out of guilt and paranoia. And only then as a vague idealistic chore.

So, when did politics become exciting? And entertaining? What are we masochists?

—

No, of course not (Masochists are Bush supporters–zinnnng!).

It’s all just Obama’s doing–the “rockstar” they say (which is a curious analogy seeing as the term is both illusory and one suggesting drug addiction and promiscuity).

But the term’s half-right. The man is nothing else if not entertaining. Ever been to one of his rallies? Buy the Xpress pass.

Still, with all this hoopla, are we reading the fine print here? More focused on the MLK-like bravado than the nuts-and-bolts platform maybe?

Who here has watched Obama’s keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 2004 on YouTube, for instance? (My hand’s raised) Anyone else? Who here has read his official platform, listed on his website at barackobama.com/issues? (I’ll be right back…okay).

—

We all love that shiny car that zooms at 90. But what about that greasy, smelly engine? Did we save the manual? What’s the gas mileage? Trust me I’m an Obama voter, but still it concerns.

The entertainment value of politics doesn’t just stop at Obama. It’s everywhere. How else to explain a glorified episode of C-SPAN becoming must-see-TV?

“What’s on TV, honey?” “The debate” “What debate?” “I mean the Convention” “The Convention! Oh! What channel!?”

Just seems like an odd thing to watch on a Monday night. Especially since no one wins and no one says anything except “hoo-ray our candidate”.

But if you watched, maybe you learned something and that’s fine. So I guess my question is: what was it?

Because if the answer is “nothing”, why were you watching?  Was it just for entertainment?