We Deserve What We Get

This column is not about Hillary vs. Obama vs. Edwards. The truth is if I had the choice I'd vote for Dennis Kucinich because he's against the war, for the impeachment of war criminals in government, smart on the environment and the economy, and he has a sense of humor about UFOS. He's not afraid to joke about 'em for fear he'll be labeled a nutcase -- as indeed he was.

But I don't have that option. Kucinich represents my views, but he only got 1% in New Hampshire. Too bad.

I want to talk not about candidates but about our media turning every presidential election into a high school popularity contest. And we let them get away with it. And we don't stop Rupert Murdoch, Clear Channel, Disney, GE, Sumner Redstone and a few others from owning all the media all the time.

Our magazines and newspapers are so dumbed down that they never discuss issues, only stereotype or attack or puff up candidates -- and all for the most idiotic things -- like their marriages, which in truth we know nothing about -- or their weight or their clothes or their hair. They don't discuss brains, intelligence, psychological maturity, but only who's up or down in the polls, cuter in photos, who misted up, cried or didn't cry, said "my friends" like Reagan or mimicked Bill Clinton's style or JFK's or whomever's. Our press is a disgrace.

When Al Gore was a candidate, he was mocked and slimed by our stupid press. And look who we got? Cheneybush! Now Hillary's being slimed for being a woman, for being the wife of, for being smart, for being political, for being old, for not having left her husband -- just as she'd be slimed if she had left her husband. She has baggage -- like any old broad -- because the truth is that the older you are the more baggage you have. So there's ageism too. And a new fresh face, with less baggage, is like the latest starlet in Hollywood. We never heard about Edwards' ideas until his wife got cancer. We heard about his haircuts!

We never discuss psychological depth because hey, who cares if the president's a bomb-happy dry-drunk trying to play out an Oedipal war with his father? We never talk about people being tested in power or how steady they are or whether they read books or understand what they read because we judge them on their looks. Or one idiotic sound byte, taken out of context.

We had gazillions of columns about Al Gore's weight gain and growing a beard -- I was even asked to write one for the New York Times -- and I obliged because that's all the news that's fit to print and I like shooting my mouth off on the Op-Ed page as much as anyone. Besides women writers are only drafted for the most trivial subjects. We comment on style not substance, beards not policy, clothes and shoes and chick lit and cooking. The men get the big topics like war, though women have the most to lose--like their children whom they carried and nursed and suckled and love more than themselves--as of course do many men.

Bush was considered a good ole boy and Gore was a considered a nerd. Now Edwards cares too much about his hair, Hillary "cried" in the press--though she didn't cry in reality. But we live in this parallel universe where there is no reality. Obama? Who knows who he is? A brilliant writer, yes, a cute young guy, yes, a progressive, we think. But who really knows? I give him the benefit of the doubt. Why not? But what a stupid way to choose a President!

If Eleanor Roosevelt were alive and running, they'd talk about her big teeth and her hoity toity accent. If JFK were alive and running, they'd reveal his affair with Marilyn and slander his wife for it. If Jackie O were alive and running, they'd say she fucked Onassis -- which she did -- while she was married to JFK. If Plato were alive and running, they'd say he was gay--though many Greeks were bisexual and thought nothing of it.

So kids, if you elect a President of the United States like you elected the President of the GO in High School, you deserve what you get.

Comments

[tnrc75]

Yes, and if you vote for the lesser of two evils, you still get evil. If Barack or Hilary become Pres and softpedal on withdrawing from Iraq, will you be proud of your vote?

[anta49]

Bravo. All of us are not that stupid.

Issues and what can they do for America count.

Our justice system is anything but, our economy is headed for a depression, not jut a recession, our educational system is greatly lacking and not preparing our children, most Americans are either under insured or have no medical coverage but the insurance companies continue to get fat, our jobs are fleeing to foreign shores, our civil rights have been assaulted by this Administration, our government in the White House is being run like a criminal enterprise, we are loosing our homes to predatory lenders, our air, food, water, toys, and pet food lacks proper regulation for safety, our infrastructure is crumbling, most of New Orleans is still in rubble after two years, etc.

Sen. Clinton and President Clinton are not racists, and nobody who knows their positions and work during the past two decades or so believes that. Sen. Obama needs to say that and get back to our numerous problems. This is a straw man argument pushed by the media's misquotes.

[moonmaid]

Erica,
You are so right, but you should vote your heart. I too beleive in the things that Kucinich stands for.
I think after the assinations, starting with JFK this country lost a lot of hope.
I think DK inspires many of us and gives us hope. Hope, that this once great nation can be what it is supposed to be, not the horror show we've been watching for the last few years. Superficial things such as looks and a person's personal life should not be what we judge a candidate by.
We have all become such media addicts that we preoccupy ourselves with the distraction of the day rather than using our brains.

[enation]

Americans are about to make history. We are about to put a horse in the White House. Seabiscuit - at least according to Mike Huckabee and John Edwards, both of whom compared themselves to the racehorse.

The candidates can be excused for their confusion. Listen to the political discourse going on in the media. Cookie cutter Republican and Democratic "strategists" flood the airwaves nightly to bring you MSM ElectionCenter.

First today's scores and results. In the Democratic League Obama edged Clinton in overtime, with Obama pulling out the upset in the last seconds. At the post-game press conference Obama told fans, "I'm taking it one primary at a time. I'm just happy to be here, and I hope I can help the party. I'm gonna give it my best shot, and Good Lord willing, things'll work out."

In other news, Edwards and Richardson are in race for the wild card, with Edwards holding a 2 point lead.

In the Republican League things have tightened up. Romney blew a huge lead today over Huckabee, and it looks like Huckabee will finish the season in first. But anything can happen in the playoffs, and McCain has proven himself a contender for that wild card spot with Paul still in the hunt.

If you watch 24 hour cable channels, they will give you:
First Thoughts " Debate Double-Header, Handicapping Tonight's Debate (MSNBC)
Big Time Obama Bounce (Fox)
Ballot Bowl Makes a Return Appearance (CNN)
Playing Catch-up May be Harder This Time (CBS)
Edwards Touts Underdog Status (ABC)

It may shock the media and it may shock you, but there is more going on here than a contest, more than PR, image and polls. THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY IS AT STAKE! Stop letting media tell you who looks good, who's running well, and who's got the best shot to beat the other team. Stop worrying about winning the game and start worrying about winning the future. Because if you don't vote your conscience in 2008, you may find yourself whistling Hail to the Chief for President Seabiscuit.

[Tonksmom]

I may not totally align with Erica on her political views, but I do agree on one thing: Both journalists and politicians thrive on scandal and controversy, and the more disreputable members of both professions will create scandals and controversies when there are no real ones to talk about. And so we end up wringing our hands over whether someone cried, whether someone made remarks that turn out to be racially insensitive, and other non-issues.

And we, the public, allow ourselves to be distracted by these things. The truth is, what matters is what the candidates say they hope to accomplish in the office if elected, and whether they have the ability to do the job. On the latter point, I think all of the candidates have enough proven track record to show that they can do what they say they will, given the opportunity. So the only real question is do we WANT them to do what they say they will?

My concern about Hillary is that she is very divisive, and we've had enough of divisive leadership. It's time for a healer, someone who isn't so rabidly partisan, someone who is respected and not hated by people on the other side of the aisle. We need someone who can heal our relationships abroad as well as in-house. I think Obama is the one who can do this. I don't have a problem with a woman in the Oval office, but I don't think this is the right time for this particular woman.

[Dajo]

Erica,

Great article.

I agree with you. Dennis Kucinich was my first and most logical choice because we share the same vision for a better World/Universe.
Do to his unelectability at this time,I have opted to support the Democratic Candidate who has the best chance to win and who is strong enough to start bringing about the necessary changes all the Democrats and most other Americans truly desire.
That is why I also support Hillary Clinton.

[twocrows]

there's no point in counting on the MSM to tell us the candidates' voting records. the media aren't interested in providing us with records. it's so much easier to talk about haircuts and cleavage and tearing-up.

if the candidate you're curious about is currently in office, you can go to his or her website and pull up the records for yourself. heaven knows you won't get the info from the MSM.
I haven't checked but I'll bet that even those who aren't in office at present have pages on Wickapedia where at least some of the major votes they've cast will be available.

we _can_ educate ourselves and, given the current media crisis, we'd better begin doing it.

[DeccaDo]

Erica, I didn't think I would ever find anything from the Huff that expressed my deep frustration with media run politics until I read your piece... and then I read the posts! Thank you for at least acknowledging that we are lead by our emotions and not our heads.
Like you I work hard to understand the issues with the greatest impact on our country, and have found that the only two candidates that share my views have been labeled "nut cases", marginalized and smeared. I want much more discussion on the war machine and our deficit. How can we get the real questions asked?

[Stithmeister]

I don't post to often, so if I violate rule of etiquette, please forgive me. I've got some thoughts to mention. First, as far as all the inane babble, that's obviously what people are interested in to some level or else it wouldn't be where the focus wanders too. None of the candidates say much of substance and those that do don't get the time on the airwaves. These candidates' images are crafted and marketed like so many breakfast cereals. Jack Kennedy didn't win because he was the more brilliant, intelligent candidate. He won mostly because he looked a lot better on TV than Nixon did during the 1960 debates. While I'm no great fan of Nixon, I'd give him a good 20-30 IQ points on Jack. Nixon learned this lesson too because when he ran again in 68, he went to marketing and advertising firms to get him elected and they did. It's been the same way ever since. We objectify everything based on our perception and the media scoots us along down one road or another. Just look at who's not getting coverage. Kucinich isn't getting any and neither is Edwards for that matter. Ron Paul is getting left out all over the place and he IS doing well. He's done better than Fred and Rudy and they get more coverage. I used to be a bartender and one thing I was taught early on was when a customer ordered a drink, always suggest two to three premium alcohols and they will almost always choose one of the choices I suggested and it's true. Well... the media has done that. For the Democrats, Clinton or Obama. The Republicans are mostly McCain and Romney with a little Mike Huckabee for color. Honestly, Edwards is my choice and it's who I'm going to vote for as I did 2004. Not that it matters much, I'm in Kentucky and our primary's not until May. This whole thing will have been decided long before then.

[SensibleCentrist]

Seems to be, if one does any research at all, there is far more information available on who Obama is, and what he stands for, than is available about Hillary. He has written two books, one which gives us an idea as to his personal issues & challenges when young, another which lays out his recent perspective on virtually every national issue we face. Further, he has a real track record of accomplishment, both in Illinois, and in DC. Hillary...­hard to say. Beyond telling every interest group what they want to hear, and almost no handprints on any significant legislation in DC...and a few big flops as First Lady...wha­t do we really know about what she truly thinks??

[danielet]

When the concession speeches were made in Iowa Edwards went first. He raved beautifully against the errosion of democracy by corporate power (remember, a corporation is an artificail individual thus removing much real person liability). NPR let him go in for 8 minutes before they cut him off derisively as "going on and on against the corporatio­ns." Then came Hillary. She was given a full time for her entire speech, as was Obama. Public Broadcasting payes way beyond its listernshi­p/viewersh­ip. So it needs more than tax dollars. It needs badly all those tax-exempt corporate dollars. Well, how much more censorship can one expect from the corporate TV media? Bottom line, Edwards who said it all as it is, per current recessionary figures, gets silenced and the others get to hit at eachother's race, genitals and drug habits ad nauseum. A media-- as the media has so often told us-- is a mark of the amount of true democratic feedom in a country. Since Bush we have been on a steep decline and it doesn't seem like it will level off when the Democrats win the White House/Congress in 2008. America is middle aged and taking Viagra so it doesn't have to face that it can't get it up anymore politcally, educationally and economically, thus needing to import lost of high and low tech illigal immigrants. Empires don't fall, they just age away, fast. So blog on and make sure no one gets to compete with your blog because it isn't their opinions that count but the advertizers they draw away from you. Business is business..­.but it ain't democracy!

[buckheaddad]

Lady . . . as my childhood nurse would have said, "Yo sho dun sed a mauful".

I can't believe that they let you get your comments and your name out there. Then again, there are so sooooo few who understand what you're talking about.

MORE PRAISE TO YOU. . . .how do you stand these dumb bastards?

buckheaddad

[smp65]

What is Ms. Jong's fascination with Hillary Clinton? Is it simply that they share the same genitalia? Hillary is the same good ole boy as all the other good ole boys.
As most posters realize, if Hillary Clinton is elected we will have had a Bush or Clinton in the White House for 24 yrs...mayb­e more. Yikes!
Is that the best we can do?
If Ms. Jong really wants change than she should back Kucinich 100% and not half in jest.

[kurtz66]

You said it! Anti-intel­lectualism is not new to the good old USofA, but it has held us back from becoming a real world leader. When I go to the grocery store and can't find a news magazine on the shelves, just more tabloid trash, I find myself wishing the average American would wake up to the fact that, if we're going to survive on this planet much longer, we had better clean up our act...fast­. We can be educated AND entertained -- but not necessarily at the same time.

A.K.
N. Hollywood, CA

[Plisko]

This is a great article and everybody needs to pass it to like 5 more people.