Friday, October 3, 2008

THE SCHLOCKY MOM

For Republicans to celebrate with the rallying cry: "She didn't fuck up!" is more than a little sad. Last night was the Senator from Delaware vs. the Governor from Stepford. She grinned like an idiot. Trotted out the folksy, aw shucks bullshit. It was all false and contrived. From her initital handshake, she was simply following orders. The only thing she was missing was a moonshine jug, a washboard, and some overalls.

She tried to land that same talking point about Obama voting to raise taxes on people making 42k. Every time she or McCain tries it the other side beats it back. But they don't stop. Repeat a lie enough times, it'll get legs.

She yanked out that "negotiating with our enemies without preconditions" as if it was tantamount to treason, though no one bothers to define what that means. In terms of negotiating with enemies, I'm surprised Biden didn't mention that Condi Rice recently sat down with Khadafi, the Saddam of his day, without the precondition of having him pay reparations to the families who lost loved ones in Locherbie.

Another snide comment that didn't even draw flack when she characterized Obama's tax plan as a "redistribution of wealth." Unless I'm wrong, wasn't that the first cut on the Greatest Hits of Karl Marx album? Was she giving a little shout out to the lunatic fringe, Michigan militia types?

And talking about pulling out of Iraq as "the white flag of surrender" is just jingoistic nonsense. I wish he'd called her on a naive interpretation of a complex issue. Somehow we have to get beyond the "winning and losing" mentality if we're going to have an intelligent, informed discussion. It's not WWII. But they must figure it's red meat for the base.

She followed her instructions not to answer a question she didn't want to answer. Just spit back talking points. Though noticeable by their absence, no "no thanks on the bridge to Nowhere." No "sold the plane on Ebay." Meet the new lies, same as the old lies. I was glad Biden tried to debunk that Maverick bullshit. Where do you get the balls to refer to yourself as a "maverick" unless you're James Garner and played one on TV?

I thought it was very telling that when she went to her party rally afterward, she inititated the "U.S.A! U.S.A! chant. When in doubt, wave the flag and get the group mentality going. It allows you to speak without saying anything.

In all, I didn't believe a word she said because she was just an actress off-book. She had no business being on the same stage with Biden, nor criticizing Obama. She's outclassed. And outgunned, intellectually. When Biden spoke, he spoke from experience. He had facts because he knows them and understands them. She regurgitated talking points and flashed that moronic grin because that's what she was programmed to do in the Republican lab where she was created. She is still the Miss Alaska contestant giving her "how I would make the world a better place" speech. She is Bush with lipstick and, so far, it seems the public isn't buying the bullshit.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I tend to be cynical (to say the least) in my worldview, something that I’m trying to break away from now that I have kids. There is a sign at my desk that reads: Optimism as a revolutionary act. But it is hard as fuck not to be cynical with these elections. It all seems to be bad theater and bullshit from both sides. How can you believe a word any of them say? If I were to lay out my political ideology, I’m truly in the center. More fiscally conservative and socially liberal, there is never a politician that fully speaks to anything I care about. It’s all a game: talking points endlessly regurgitated by the same empty headed pundits. There’s no objectivity from either side, and the scripts from both camps are so lame you know exactly what they are going to say on any given issue before they open their mouths on the interchangeable television shows. I’m throwing my hat in with Obama, even though he seems a bit naïve about foreign policy (which is not to say he’s wrong) and I’m not 100% down with all of his domestic ideas, primarily because even the possibility of that cupcake from Alaska getting anywhere near the presidency scares the fuck out of me.

I’m looking forward to reading your article about LA BLUES. I’m ass deep in pre-production on the next movie and I can use a chuckle and a bit of inspiration.

Take care,
Phil

IBG said...

Phil--

I agree: optimism as a conscious choice has more legs than cynicism, which just negates anything based on some fictional ideal. To me, cynics are just closet romantics with such idealized views of perfection that the slightest ding sends them spiraling toward the dark side. One broken heart = love sucks.

No matter what they say during an election, reality will set in and they will have to act. Obama is an intelligent, decent man. McCain is a political animal, who has betrayed himself with his dishonorable conduct. There's no perfection. Just choices. "Hope" and "change" and all that are just ad slogans. But they do represent an attitude. Johnny Mac and his repulsive running mate are virtual Bush/Cheney. Smug stupidity and bull-headedness. Given the state of the world and the economy at the moment, could Obama possibly fuck up more than these people have? Could he possibly make things any worse? But, on the upside, could he possibly make things better? Again, it's better by degrees. There is no Shangri-LA. (Certainly no Shangri-L.A.) But I'd take 8 years of Clinton any day over 8 years of GW, or 8 more of McCain.

I'd like to hear about the movie you're doing. Write back if you have a chance.

Ian