What This Year's Oscar Race is Telling John McCain

Given the week he's just had, you have to figure John McCain is looking for a story -- any story -- to come along and take the media spotlight off him (at least until the next well-polished lobbyist shoe falls). And what better distraction than America's favorite celebrity engorge-athon, the Academy Awards? But a quick glance at my Oscar scorecard tells me this year's Best Picture noms have McCain reminders written all over them: There Will Be Blood (aka McCain's foreign policy), Atonement (see recent conversations with wife Cindy), Michael Clayton (McCain could certainly use a "fixer" right about now), No Country for Old Men (hello November preview!). Not sure where Juno fits in, unless someone has recently spotted Vicki Iseman guzzling SunnyD at a convenience store.

Comments

[pece]

not only are you pretty but you are so so smart.......

[argent1]

One can live a lifetime without seeing a movie and not be deprived of a happy productive existence. The great American export of dreamworlds is now again apprehended for recycling the old hit "Mr. Obama Goes to Washington". Though if Hillary could think more like "Dorothy" in "The Wizard of Oz", she will discover the truth about the oba-man behind the curtain. The Emerald City and all its happy hopeful crowd are a figment of a dream in our own heads. Not only she, but everyone, need only pay attention to the realities of wakefulness. Were it not for a great depression the movies would not be the cheap trick to inspire. All that has come from Hollywood since have been clouds obstructing the view of the real universe.

The great journalists of yore would largely be unemployable today. Witness the demise of the daily papers and weekly magazines that would bring news in lengthy articles. Now if it can't be said in four paragraphs with catch phrasing and personality ridden yellow journalistic prose, the story and its issues will go undiscovered. The best we have now is Utube's 30 second telebite, that can explain to everyone the complexities of all modern dilemma. For this McCain won't survive a replay onslaught of "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran". Hillary won't endure her cackle editied by bored imovie junkies. Even Obama will be faced with his own cheeks puckering spastically as a sign of mortal imperfection. All this will lead to anarchist behavior towards leadership, and a world free at last. Free of the weight of historical analysis and allowing the mind to float unidirectionally, rediscovering all the mistakes humanity has already made.

[littleblackcat]

Has anyone else noticed mccain's fondness for blondes with one drooping eyelid and thin lips?

[Debi]

Maybe the "they" guys in the republican party have decided it's time for the democrates to try and see what they can do to run the country so "they" are running McCain--similar to Bob Dole in Bill Clinton's second term election.

[goldenshaman]

The Repukes have made big mess and they will dump it on the Dems.

Actually, the Dems deserve it for being such craven wimps.

[johnqeniac]

I agree. no democrat could possibly do worse than a republican.

[gonavy]

Unfortunately we just might see about that.

[Dvmx]

just watched This Week with George Stephanopoulos... jeez, this show is some kind of dark-humor Beckett play, the zombie roundtable, the Mad Hatter's party... what a bunch of utterly out-of-touch gossips. Oh and did I mention the non-stop lies and fabrications? Wow. this show deserves The Bad Oscar...

[ProfessorDuh]

Well put. It's the strange, corporate-media kabuki dance, in which the trivial and absurd must be solemnly debated, while the important must never be mentioned.

[sagopalm]

People are fed up with the greed that permeates the republican party. It speaks volumes that when they're given all the marbles they serve only to benefit themselves and cheat the rest of us out of our hard earned tax dollars to pay for their corrupt and contemptible ways. Good riddance. bush and cheney belong in prison. Anyone who still supports these two and their reckless behavior hasn't a shred of credibility.

[outnow]

The election process comes every four years for president. The choice is rarely between any candidate who will look at the real issues:

(1) An immediate end to the Iraq War; and,

(2) Immediate institution of free health care for all.

Neither Democratic candidate offers either. John McCain is a militarist and represents corporate greed - we know that.

So the elections themselves are just replays of movies for entertainment of the masses. Some are terrified that a Republican victory will mean an even greater shift to the right but none hardly are willing to go so far as sit-ins for the rights of Blacks, freedom rides, strikes or boycotts for the rights of workers or mutinies and desertions by soldiers as was done in the past. Such direct actions by voters in the past have lead to change. (-11 changed the world, although WW II didn't. Hm....60 million died as opposed to 3,000. What changed everything? Bush?

Neither candidate offers radical change from the status quo when we desperately need a government guarantee of jobs, changes in the tax system for social programs, a minimum income for every household, housing relief, deep cuts in military spending.

So watch the Academy Awards knowing that entertainment is provided free in many case for the opportunity to brainwash you "while selling you more and more some useless information, to try (your) imagination."

The biggest show of all is the passivity and cowardice of Americans who accept what they can change. Arianna is right, the irony is lost on John McCain but the big irony is that it is lost on the rest of us too. Obama doesn't know the 60's any more than he knows Europe. Hillary is a Republican. It is up to the rest of us to produce the change we want by demanding it.

Moving to the "center" to appease Republicans has been the biggest mistake of the Democratic party. They just step further to the right.

[emsique]

Wow it looks like the Ralph for President article made the comments section OD. He is a great man, but would he make a good president? I don't think so. He doesn't have the leadership qualities it takes to turn this country around from the stupid direction it has taken. Ralph, use your tenacity and talents for something other than derailing an election again.

[ResistanceisFutile]

So who has leadership qualities that you can trust, Obama, Hillary or McCain?

You want more of the same, meaning corporate control of your government, then by all means vote for one of these corporate lackies.

Nader has more leadership qualities in his little pinky than all of those still in the race. I want a man of integrity who is concerned for me, a working stiff.

Nader has my vote and when I am done with this comment I am going to send him some money!

[cafemocha]

McCON finally found a running mate that can help McCON get elected: NADER! ...Who is really running for Spoiler In Chief.

[ResistanceisFutile]

Nader did not spoil the 2000 election.

If you did your home work you would know that Bush's brother, Catherine Harris and the supreme court screwed countless thousands of minority voters out of their votes, votes for Gore.

[Nonamnesiac]

You shouldn't waste your time responding to the Nader-baiting, Democratic Party sycophants who simply ignore that neither Democratic frontrunner has committed to getting out all US troops and contractors from Iraq -- ever. They're perfectly willing to fight to the last drop of other family's blood and whine about Nader.

If a candidate is not for immediate, safe withdrawal of all US troops and contractors from Iraq and for universal, single-payer health care, then they're not really Democrats. So the Nader-baiting scum supporting continue-the-war Hillary and continue-the-war Obama are simply warmongering barbarians willing to have blood dripping from their hands, even though it's my family's blood dripping from their hands. I will not vote for anyone who is willing to kill or maim any of my family members in the military against the interests of the United States. Hillary and Obama are by refusing to commit to immediate safe withdrawal of ALL US troops and contractors.

Screw them.

[andyboy]

Hi Arianna!

I must admit I got lost when George Clooney/Michael Clayton suddenly pulls over and walks up the hill to look at the three horses and sort of wells up like Hillary...

And right then his car explodes!

Loved Clooney in this movie. His powers of understatement and ability to convey feelings with the canvas that is his face is truly a gift. I never understood these people who think there's no difference between actors and acting ability and it's all a scam.

No Country was good but couldn't touch Michael Clayton. Notice how the emotional range conveyed by the actors in No Country is so one-dimensional matter of fact dry humor and serious sober mania. Was there even one smile in this movie? It was entertaining though. I wouldn't consider anyone in it for an Oscar under any circumstance.

Still loving you and Huffington Post. It's the best site on the net bar none. Your drawing an incredible number of comments. I remember the days when you'd have a page or three of comments per hour. Way to go. I hope you don't change (is that okay to say?).

I am so looking forward to the destruction of John McCain. He is so weak and vulnerable. I look forward to seeing where you will go with the site if Barack indeed does win this year.

Will you criticize him? I think you will. In fact I think once he gets elected the real work starts. Then it will be time to teach these Democrats a few well deserved lessons.

I believe in your inner integrity and fairness. Your possessed of an intelligence and moral compass that is rare these days on either side of the aisle.

What will the scoffers say about you then Arianna? I know. Your just going after Obama to create controversy and hype for the site and you should leave the poor Denzel clone alone.

[Stanley]

Hillary will get pilloried in Texas. The temptataion of some right-wing radio talk show host to champion the cause of dancing on Hillary's grave by having all Repug's cross lines to vote against her, given the McCain shoe-in is just too great. It will happen out of sheer long kept anger held in the hearts of many a Sam's Club Republican. While I agree that voting against there racial bias may be too much for some to bare, I still predict the temptation for Texas to be the final nail in the Clinton coffin to be too great for far too many to ignore.

[WashingtonOutsider]

Stanley - you are correct.

[ProfessorDuh]

Clearly, we share a guilty pleasure in our love of puns, Arianna. And there's no police like Holmes.

[k8k9]

I curtsey to you PD.

[RPRP2]

Attention: Democratic wing of the Democratic party. Think Obama is the most progressive of the candidates? How about this: he has criticized Democrats for "inconsistency" in "demanding civil liberties but not deregulaton". Huh? He has said that he is "progressive" on social issues but an economic "traditionalist" (See NYTimes Book Review, December 24, 2006 in a review of his "Audacity of Hope") And now he says he would be "open" to private school vouchers after many clear statements that he does not support them. His defenders say that this just shows he is open to "new ideas". Yeah, right -- ask a right-winger how new that idea is. He says he supports anything that is "good for the child" (and motherhood and apple pie too, I suppose) If vouchers "help" a few kids but hurt thousands by draining money from the public schools, well, who's counting?

[andyboy]

RPR2,

I forgot something. If a child goes to a voucher school he doesn't drain money from public schools.

That student isn't costing the public school anything.

Why can't we try some different approaches to education with as bad as it is? I think this is what Barack is saying. If voucher schools could be regulated and run properly without all the levels of bureaucracy inherent in the present system we might have stumbled onto something. No?

And really aren't they both "public" schools as you say anyway?

[andyboy]

RPR2,

You have to break a few eggs to make an omelet.

Didn't George Bush say he was a "compassionate conservative"? We know better now.

This is a very nuanced stance on an issue that while important is not make or break or even in the forefront at this time in our country.

I agree with you. I am against vouchers.

But do I have to get everything I want right now? No. Not if I am an adult. Voucher programs could be improved and become successful or they could end up as a dismal failure.

Many people are in favor of them and I think it's okay to give them a fair chance. Let it be what it is. When it becomes something parents can't live with it will fold.

This man is a uniter. For real. Not like Bush.

[gonavy]

Children are to the public schools like cows are to the dairy farmer.

They want as many kids in school, but only for the first 30 minutes, so they get that funding for that day. Public schools are factories for the teachers unions. Screw the kids, they want their fat retirement checks and health care for life.
We have fundraisers all year long to pay for things that were supposed to be paid for by the funding they already got. But that money was spent on teachers luncheons and a new ride for the administrator.

Charter schools and homeschooling are, by far, the best option for our children.

[aurelio23]

"John, please tell me it is not true."
"C"mon, it is a tempest in a teapot. What is the matter, don"t you trust me?"
"Of course I do. But you know evidence is evidence"
"Bull! Just plain gossip designed to ruin my reputation. You should know better!"
"You have not answered my question!"
"OK, what the heck is the question?"
"Is it true that when you were in prison in Vietnam you became a great barber and manicurist and were the only American allowed in the General"s quarters to cut his hair and do his fingernails?"
"Please let that be a secret between us, OK dear?"
"Of course!"

[azn1011]

if i may be fair here, this whole story is much to do about nothing. in fact, the NYT is coming out of this looking much worse than John McCain is.