DNC...



We watched a bit of the Democratic National Convention last night. Well, I watched it while Brian worked on computery type stuff. When I asked him if he'd like to watch it, his response was, "Do I have to?"

I think it was a line from the West Wing in which some network executive, who is arguing that the networks don't want to cover the political conventions says to a presidential advisor, "You somehow make choosing the leader of the free world boring!"

Yeah, pretty boring. I was thinking of some ways to both continue the charade that something interesting and/or important happens at the convention and yet pander to an American audience at the same time:

1. American Idol contestants compete to sing the national anthem.
2. Tim Gunn remakes the candidates' spouses.
3. A camera on Emeril Lagasse at all times. He'll just be a little face in the corner of the screen. Then, every time a speaker makes an applause line, he shouts "BAM!"
4. A special phone number given out at 10PM to call for free Sham-Wows.
5. Presidential Candidate Truth or Dare
6. The candidates compete in an Iron Chef competition in which the secret ingredient is "Stuff regular people eat" just to show how "in-touch" these millionaire politicians are with the rest of us poor slobs.
7. Every night, Benjamin Linus and Pat Sajak turn a Giant Donkey Wheel on stage and move the entire convention to a new city.
8. Balloons drop at random intervals, 5 balloons contain the keys to a new car. One balloon contains Oprah.

Any other ideas?
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So while watching the televised abortion that is the Democratic National Convention on TV (and the Republican Convention isn't any different, just a whole lot whiter, and a whole lot less Jewish) I continue to be amazed at the media's ability to simply make up news with no evidence whatsoever.

Case in point: the alleged Hillary supporters who supposedly would rather vote for McCain than Obama. We know of one, because she was in a commercial, and because in a press conference she demonstrated her complete ignorance of McCain's stance on nearly anything ("Oh gee, he wants to overturn Roe v. Wade? Golly, I didn't know that!") Ok, that's one. Who else? Has anyone ever actually met one of these people that supposedly are taking over the Democratic Party?

Nope, I haven't either.

I think these Hillary/McCain supporters are just another Republican fantasy. Like WMDs. Except these are just Weapons of Mass Distraction.

I'm also fascinated with the narrative that the media has created about all the "emotion" and "healing" that has to happen to get Hillary supporters back on board. Huh? Do people actually have any sort of emotion or feeling about any of these candidates? Why? Or rather, how are they able to imagine that they have some sort of relationship or rapport with someone they've never met (shaking hands on a rope line doesn't count), and with someone they know nothing about except what is pre-planned and scripted? I'm not sure such people really exist, or rather I hope they don't exist. Fortunately, I've never met them as I'd really rather not have a reason to be even more cynical about people than I already am.

On the other hand, plenty of people hated Jar-Jar Binks with a fury previously reserved only for Ewoks, and he is about as real as any of these candidates. So, maybe that narrative isn't as far-fetched as I believe.

Posted: Tue - August 26, 2008 at 10:21 AM        

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