Politics By Ordeal
What is this foolishness? Obama is pure and not a politician and Hillary is "tainted"?
Does anyone get to be a presidential candidate in our country without being a politician?
Does anyone run for political office -- a humiliating and exhilarating marathon -- without wanting power more than sleep?
Come on. Get real. You and I could never endure the punishment of debates, of columnists who don't fact-check, of swift-boaters, of dumb pundits and corrupt colleagues, without the lust for power being the overriding emotion in your life.
I do a book tour of six cities and come down with the flu -- and I'm pretty strong and healthy. I can hardly imagine what candidates go through. Yes, they fly on private jets. Yes, they don't take their shoes off at the airport, but they don't sleep either. I'm amazed they can even croak a coherent sentence.
I once did a lecture tour of Australia and New Zealand with bronchitis and laryngitis. I caught it in Hong Kong, I think, and it lingered for three weeks. My voice barely functioned. But I spoke anyway. And I signed hundreds of books after every appearance. Once I got home, I took to my bed for two weeks. The jet lag was awful and the bronchitis turned into a resistant infection. No antibiotic worked. I was silenced for six weeks and my vocal chords still have their off days.
How do these candidates do it? I still can't understand. They must be bionic. By the end of a book tour, I'm so sick of answering questions about myself that I start to interview the journalists about what they like to do in their spare time -- skiing, sailing, snowboarding, golf? The intensity of being interviewed by hostile reporters is absolutely exhausting. No wonder people misspeak. It's amazing they don't throttle the press. And the public. By the time they get in office they must hate the public. Why do we put them through this torture? Shouldn't they be thinking about governance, coming up with new ideas for the commonweal rather than being flogged by the press?
This is no way to audition for "the most powerful job on earth." I doubt that the ordeal helps anyone -- neither the candidates nor the public.
And is it really the most powerful job on earth? The way our country is going -- with our deficit, our plunging dollar, our $100 oil, we are becoming a banana republic, ruled by corporations that deceive us and buy our politicians.
Where is this pure politician? In your dreams, folks, in your dreams.
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You got that right, Erika!
By definition, ANYONE that runs for president is not like the rest of us. They are power hungry, for whatever reason. It could be wonderfully motivated, as in wanting to really help people, but there are lots of ways to do that without running for president.
Sometimes I think that we should put in people that DON'T want the job, because they aren't seeking power.
That's what some nations did by appointment, they found the most honorable and qualified candidates an put them in power wether they wanted it or not, but people like our founding fathers no matter how much you like them, did want power and designed our nation accordingly.
It is OBVIOUSLY the most powerful job! How could we get into such a big mess otherwise? It's just that the folks we have doing the job really suck - they don't bother with little things like the Constituton. Hopefully we will get someone into this most powerful job to do a... good job!
"And is it really the most powerful job on earth? The way our country is going -- with our deficit, our plunging dollar, our $100 oil, we are becoming a banana republic, ruled by corporations that deceive us and buy our politicians."
well stated so few americans have any idea what you just stated.
great quote.
our power is in our military might but soon when the chinese credit card runs out even our military will be too much for us to invest in.
only imperialist country like america would continue to spend mega dollars for our military might while the country goes under.
most americans dont have a clue they are imperialists like germany did not have a clue they were fascists during world war II.
no lets fix it and send a person with hope to wash that will work. yea right and the easter bunny can hop backwards.
Thanks for pointing out something that everyone should remember. There is also that famous line, "trust me". Once again we are being asked to take something on faith- isn't that best confined to church rhetoric?
Do you mean Clinton's or Obama's?
Perhaps some of us Obama supporters give some of you Clinton supporters reason to think that we believe him to be some kind of saint. Personally, I find him a good man who is trying to accomplish something positive, but I am not blind to what it takes to get ahead in this business. I think Obama says it best himself in The Audacity of Hope:
"Few people end up being United States senators by accident; at a minimum, it requires a certain megalomania, a belief that of all the gifted people in yours state, you are somehow uniquely qualified to speak on their behalf; a belief sufficiently strong that you are willing to endure the sometimes uplifting, occasionally harrowing, but always slightly ridiculous process we call campaigns."
What makes him so refreshing is his willingness to acknowledge that he is fallible, that he makes (and will continue to make) mistakes, that he can be a "megalomania." I haven't heard that kind of candor from any other candidate.
sorry for the typos...too late at night
I imagine the money, almost free health care, pension for life, never having to work hard labor, and the adoration of many others others because of your status may have something to do with it too.
Don't forget how old Bill is shaking the money tree now that he is a former President. These former big time politicians are given nice cushy seats on corporate boards and the money rolls in for their "dedicated service" to our lords and masters. To quote a tag line from the old television show "In Living Color": "Mo' Money, Mo' Money, Mo' Money!!!!!"
Ms. Jung is becoming so tiresome in her defense of Senator Clinton. It is a simple fact that there are many people who just don't trust her nor believe her. According to reports I have read, she lost the "sincerity" factor in the last debate.
And looking how her and her husband are rolling in the money now, it is hard for me to believe any politician is not in politics but for the money nowadays. They exploit their office for monetary gain. And you don't have to look any further than her husband for why politicians are in politics.
I will tell you one thing. The incredible inability of these supporters to disagree with civility is enough to ensure I will never vote for the man.
Agreed, Annin. Neither will I. Do NOT try to criticize the MAN. He is beyond critique....well, at least for now.
The more I hear the big o, the more I feel like I'm about to fall out and speak in tongues.
That is a real straw man argument. You won't vote for someone because of a tiny percentage of his most rabid blogger supporters are over the top?? I've seen your posts and I don't think you are that stupid.
There are equally as many rabid HRC supporters who post here. C'mon.
Out of curiosity, did you find my post to be particularly uncivil? I believe the lack of civility can be found on both sides. Fortunately, I don't mistake her supporters for Hillary. If she wins the nomination, I will vote for her, despite her followers.
I hope you can come to the same realization...Obama isn't the sum of some of his more rabid supporters.
Hey Erica, get with the program! BO is JESUS! He is the second coming of the lord our savior! He's going to CHANGE Washington just by the sheer force of his xeroxed words. HALLELUJAH! The Lord has come! Follow the Lord, He is pure, he is holy, he is the Baby Obama! Baby Obama!
Another hysterical Hillary idolizer.
Obama? A candidate for change? He isn't a patch on our current administration. They have moved us so far toward fascism it is very frightening. So I don't want ephemeral change I want to know what kind of change and how he is going to achieve it with slick talk?
Many of you need to look back at his performance in Illinois. When he did bother to vote it was to water down people-friendly legislation. For example, making the Illinois health plan voluntary. Remember, our moron in chief tried to make Social Security voluntary and we, as a nation, recognized that it was simply a method to kill Social Security and we rejected it. A voluntary National Health plan would have the same result, ultimate death.
If some people did accept this voluntary plan (during its very short existence) they would receive some special card that will stigmatize them, to their doctors, pharmacists, etc. This is how the repubs operate.
We are also sick of his obvious distortion about being against the vote for war. He was not in the Senate at that time so he cannot choose to say he voted against it when he DID NOT VOTE AT ALL. Moreover, how does he explain all his subsequent yes votes when he was IN THE SENATE for war funding, escalation… or whatever our moron in chief desired.
.
Well, I don't know if he can walk on water or raise the dead, but he is a much more appealing candidate than Senator Hillary.
But it is all shadow puppets for we on the outside of power. Hillary is seen as the candidate of the Democratic Leadership Council. And as Howard Dean caustically referred to this conservative pressure group as: "the Republican party within the Democratic Party." And as long as Senator Clinton has a questionable commodity like Mr. Penn has her campaign spokesman, it is hard for me to believe she is the candidate for change. Sorry, ladies, if you want to elect a woman as President, you will have to find a woman a majority of people can like and believe in. Senator Clinton fails these two simple tests. Guilt tripping doesn't work anymore. We don't want to play anymore.
Dear Erica -
It's so good to hear from you once again.
You're right of course. No politician is pure. As the Bible says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". And as L. Ron Hubbard has said, "You need to be audited because those Thetans are messing up your telegrams (or something like that - I'm not a Scientologist so I don't know everything about it, but you could ask Tom Cruise if you know him, or Kirstie Alley).
At the same time, there are politicians and there are politicians. There are those who would sell their mother into white slavery to get what they want - or betray the country entirely - like Richard Nixon (remember him).
And there are those who live - however imperfectly - by a set of guiding principles like some of us more regular folks.
You've been very excited about Hillary, we know. But now you can see that principles aren't really the strong suit for the Clintons - just like they weren't the strong suit for George W. Bush.
Maybe - in your own erudite mind - the fact that she's a she makes the Clintons' unprincipled behavior tolerable.
For a lot of us, that's not good enough. It is time, Erica, to turn the page.
But thanks for sharing, anyway.
Sincerely,
Your Friend OTAYPANKY
well and truly said Otaypanky!!!
I am edging 60, voted for each Clinton twice (Buffalo, NY), and I am sick of making excuses for them. But I am also ready for the next generation to start taking politics and life seriously.
We had a good run and we will continue to have a good run, unless we die of the kind of self-pity Jong embodies (when she doesn't embody foolishness--I still cannot get over a woman whose daughter is an author because Jong is an author attacking the abominable William Kristol with probably the only bad thing one could say about him that doesn't fit).
Obama excites young people who never had a Fear of Flying and who live the zipless you-know-what. Jong can be a wise old woman if she would stop being a petulant and aging debutant still squeezing into her Prom Dress by having the tailor add a yard or two to the waist & derriere.
Sorry, Erica Jong. We got old. It happens. But show some grace. For God’s sake. For your daughter’s career’s sake. For your sake.
tomcj: Jong can be a wise old woman if she would stop being a petulant and aging debutant still squeezing into her Prom Dress by having the tailor add a yard or two to the waist & derriere.
===
Actually, she sounds more like an old YENTE, guilting the kids and nagging the neighbors incessantly about who knows what.
It's funny, but I don't see a whole lot of black people clamoring for either Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton as POTUS - even though both have run. Why? Because these men, whatever their accomplishments, are damaged goods, with well documented histories of ethical lapses, both private and public. Plus they've used their race in an exploitative fashion, more than once.
So the black community has waited for someone to emerge - as the playing field levels - who could take a place onstage and be a viable candidate. And now, we have one.
So why are these first wave feminists so blind? What is it that prevents them from seeing the obvious: that BOTH of the Clintons are damaged goods, that the country doesn't want them in the White House again, and that she, in particular, has exploited her gender in a pandering way?
Add to that the fact that she has LED a team engaged in NASTY and DEGRADING political discourse, and mismanaged her campaign as a financial enterprise.
Exactly how does all this make her ready on day one?
As for Jong's complaint that this is no way to pick a POTUS...I'm reminded of Churchill's observation that democracy is the worst form of government ever invented, except for all the others.
Be well, Tom!
The "perfect" candidate doesn't exist. These
are humans, most very successful outside of
politics, most pretty wealthy, all of them
like the power in Washington especially in
the White House. If you wanted to be helping
humanity you would be in the Peace Corp.
Yes, they affect all aspects of domestic
and foreign policy, and economies can be
healed or destroyed. They command armies and
most importantly have the right to initiate
war.
They aren't as influenced directly by public
opinion after election. But they are by
"think tanks", lobbyists, and bad advisors.
It is a power trip. And putting up with all
the stuff to get there just isn't that
important.
WE suffered from 'Politicians ' decades ago, We've been contending with Corp Operatives - big difference- No Allegiences to US.
"Public Servants' apparently went our with the turn of the Last Century.....
We are Hoping they come back in Vogue....but POPULAR DEMAND
Hillary is the definition of Washington corruption and status quo?
What a great article ... I swear I was just thinking that there simply is no time-off. No kicking back for a couple of days, it's just peddle-to-the-mettle 27/7 till you cross the finish line.
This isn't even hardly humanly possible? It's a reality show on steroids. Who else but someone obsessed with power would attempt it?
And what a great point ... at this stage of collapse who'd want to take the reins? It's like being giving the helm of the Titanic just after hitting the ice-berg.
Why do you call this a great article? For stating the obvious? So being a politician is tough. Big deal. A policeman has a tough job and can get shot any time. Being a soldier is dangerous, especially under a republican administration. The perks of a politician, when you reach the top are great. Ask Bill Clinton what he gets paid for a speech. It's six figures.
So how would Erica Jong test a politician for fitness if not by campaigning? Should they run a gauntlet or take an IQ test? This latter suggestion may be a good idea. Erica Jong doesn't like book tours and being interviewed.Ergo politicians must not like these things either? Most writers I'm told, write in solitude, so it's not surprising that talking to throngs of people, and going on book tours might be dissatisfying for such a personality. For a politician, this is part of the gig, and while there are rough spots, I think they enjoy it. If they didn't like crowds, they would retire from politics and become writers. Guess what, people are different and they like to do different things. What a concept! What a revelation!
Yeah, she expended a great deal of candle power on this post. Erica did. Burned up her monitor....
You know, after reading the first page of comments I had to go back and reread the post. From the comments, mostly from Obamatons it seems, you would have thought that the post was all about how awful Obama is and how great Hillary is. Of course, that wasn't what the article was about it was just what the Obamatons thought it was about. I swear, I don't know why anyone would want to run for political office either and I do agree that Obama is not pure and Hillary is not vile. Maybe it helps some to adopt that "with us or against us" mythology. I swear, if the Obamatons don't stop yelling at me and forcing him on me, I will not vote for him.
Good point...Erica once again hits the nail on the head, why she is one of our greatest writers...
It is a sign of supreme naivete to think Obama is not an extremely ambitious, calculating politician...of course, it's fine for him to be so, but not Hillary...the double standard is astonishing.
What is your point? That he is, but Hillary isn't? So WHO has the double standard?
Yup, I knew someone would pull that old chestnut "the double standard" out and swirl it around for all we Hillary doubters.
Obamaton is not your own word. Before accusing those of being mindless automatons, maybe one shouldn't repeat someone else's attack word.
Whatever they're called, they are the people who have guaranteed that I would not vote for Barack Obama under any circumstances whatever. No way will I help achieve another 4 years of a man in the White House who has a hardcore deaf, dumb, and blind constituency who are convinced he can do no wrong--a group of rabid supporters who even borrow the exact rhetoric of Bush's most right wing followers when they discuss Bill and Hillary Clinton. I'm sick of that kind of politics and it isn't improved by having a D beside it instead of an R.
Eye on the prize? What's the prize? What justifies millions of dollars being thrown around like confetti?
Imagine our government to be like a large corporation, except here the employees get to vote for the President of their company.
Opposing vice-presidents try to rally employees to vote for them. Eventually, one gets to be President. However, the President still answers to the Board of Directors.
Shortly after the celebrations, the Board instructs the new President that it's now time to tell the employees who had just voted that their company is shutting down.
The financial wizs who had selected members of the Board had quietly invested in another company in a different country.
Welcome to the Presidential Race of 2008.
They win, you lose. Sometimes The Dragon Wins.
Erica Jong I love you!!! Have since your first book! I am so proud to have you out there speaking the truth!!!!!!!
Lane...you are so incisive and accurate it makes me proud of you too.
I am baffled.
Why would a fictional author who has received world-wide acclaim want to write political articles that are greeted mostly with outrage and derision. What is the reward for posting articles inviting charges of sexism, racism, elitism, sloppy writing and silliness?
Perhaps the demeaning responses are the reward. If so, we are enablers.
Ms. Jong writes fiction, but she herself is quite real.
Snap! Good one, lillianjane.
By all appearances, it's the opportunity to present one paragraph of commentary on the world and six paragraphs of 'mememememememe', which seems to be the recurring theme of all this author's posts.
Isn't this the person you dread being seated near at a dinner party?
Just curious. Why do youyouyouyou continue to read "all this author's post" if youyouyou don't like what she has to say? I think you might be the one who should be avoided at the dinner party or perhaps not invited at all.
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