Stephen King: The Celeb-ification Of The Election Thanks To The Strike

EW:

I write about pop culture for a magazine that deals with American entertainment. Does a presidential campaign belong in a column like that, for a magazine like this? Two months ago, I would have said no. But then came Oprah Winfrey's decision to actively campaign for Barack Obama. And the writers' strike. And the completely wrong polls preceding the New Hampshire Democratic primary, and the news media's subsequent caution in quoting polls since then.

The tipping point came somewhere in Georgia, on my annual drive from Maine to Florida; I was listening to a country station. The DJ spun Alan Jackson's new single, ''Small Town Southern Man,'' and when it was over he said it belonged to a new musical genre: Huckabilly. Sitting there in my car as I-95 unrolled in front of me, I thought: Something's going on here.

Read the whole story: EW

Comments

[Poised]

A very smart article by King, interesting from beginning to end. I agree that the election looks like a stupid game show. "Come on down" and vote for your favorite star/candidate.

I've already turned away from Obama because of Oprah. What people don't seem to consider is that she's a business, a profit-making entity with a huge bottom line (intended) and as such she's just another special interest like Exxon. I wouldn't take her advice on the election any more than I'd take the advice of General Motors' president. How about other celebrities whose fortunes are tucked away into personal corporations to keep taxes low?

Wouldn't it be illegal for the president of Exxon or GM to do what Oprah's done for a candidate? Perhaps McCain-Feingold needs an amendment.

[cinemaven]

"2008 has become the political equivalent of Celebrity Match Game."

A perfect way to define it!