Well-Crafted Phoniness

Al Gore won the most famous award on the planet, but it is New York Times columnist Bob Herbert who summed up in a brilliant Op-Ed piece the significance of this year's Nobel Peace Prize for America.

The fate of Al Gore offers a window into our condition as a country and the future we are doomed to repeat--soon--if we do not wake up to this problem and fix it. 

Gore, whom Herbert calls "one of the most intelligent, thoughtful, talented men in America and remarkably well-equipped to lead the nation," is the exact opposite kind of leader that America has chosen for the past decade.  Herbert blames journalists for what history will mark  as one of the monumental failures of all time in that profession:

In the race for the highest office in the land, we showed the collective maturity of 3-year-olds. Mr. Gore was taken to task for his taste in clothing and for such grievous offenses as sighing or, allegedly, rolling his eyes. It was a given that at a barbecue everyone would rush to be with his opponent. We've paid a heavy price. The president who got such high marks as a barbecue companion doesn't seem to know up from down. He's hurled the nation into a ruinous war that has cost countless lives and spawned a whole new generation of terrorists. He continues to sit idly by as a historic American city, New Orleans, remains wounded and on its knees. He's blithely steered the nation into a bottomless pit of debt. I could go on.

(full text here)

Every journalist working in America should print out that passage in extra-large font and tape it next to the bathroom mirror.  Better yet, they should put the passage on a chain and wear it around their necks. 

Journalists play a crucial role in our political system, Herbert is telling us, and the fact that journalists by-and-large chose the 'barbecue companion' over 'intelligent, thoughtful, and talented'--and then did it again four years later--has had profound consequences in real terms:  loss of life, collective wealth, and a general lack of peace and well-being that now poisons the entire world.   Gore's Nobel Prize should lead everyone to wonder what kind of world we would be living in, today, if journalists had only showed the 'collective maturity' of 12-year-olds or, heaven forbid: educated adults.

The choice was never clearer, Herbert reminds us, and we have suffered deeply for choosing unwisely.  Whatever one thinks about the legal hocus-pocus that took place in the Florida recount--whether Bush won, lost  or was installed as President--it is clear that our system failed. 

A foul-smelling reality that hangs in the air this week, most of us understand that even in a time of war, impeding economic collapse, inevitable health crises, and a global climate crisis already upon us--were Gore to step again into the Presidential ring, he would again be eviscerated into submission for how he speaks, dresses, and eats--issues of no significance to anyone. 

Gore's Nobel Prize shines an unflattering light on America in general and our political culture in particular.  It reveals a media-driven American politics that still prefers beating good ideas and leadership to death and rolling around in the mess than turning to the future with an interest in understanding what John Dewey once called the relationship between things.

That there is even a need for Al Gore to argue that too much carbon in our atmosphere is a problem for human survival--that the act of doing so on a global stage becomes a work of great moral leadership--that is itself the product of the political culture this country has chosen to reward twice in the past 8 years with Presidential electoral victories.

This country has developed the bad habit, Herbert reminds us, of choosing 'well-crafted phoniness' as presidential instead of intelligent, informed talent.  And that is a habit that we do not seem particularly determined to break:

Which brings us to Mr. Giuliani.  The entire basis for this former mayor's candidacy is his contention that he is some kind of expert, a veritable guru, on matters related to terrorism.  "I understand terrorism," he says, "in a way that is equal to or exceeds anyone else."  And yet in the two most important decisions he has made with regard to terror, he has miserably failed.   Mr. Giuliani foolishly insisted, against expert advice, on placing New York City's state-of-the-art emergency command center on the 27th floor of a 47-story building that was known to be a terror target and that was destroyed in the World Trade Center attack.  And he pushed hard for the corrupt and grotesquely underqualified Bernard Kerik to be appointed to the top antiterror post in the Bush administration, secretary of homeland security. In an episode that humiliated the president, the nomination had to be scrapped after boatloads of damaging information began to emerge about Mr. Kerik. (He has since pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors and remains under federal investigation.)  But Mr. Giuliani, who shares with Mr. Bush a Manichaean view of the world and an aggressive, authoritarian temperament, remains not just a viable candidate, but the G.O.P. front-runner.

The fact that vast sections of the American population believe Giuliani is an 'expert' on terrorism is a sign of the continuing vitality of the America that yearned for barbecue instead of intelligence. 

Not only is Giuliani not qualified as an expert on terrorism, but there is monumental and overwhelming evidence that his lack of qualification resulted in a greater number of deaths than needed to happen.   

Just as we imagine what would have been if America had chosen Gore instead of Bush--chosen intelligence and talent instead of a barbecue buddy--imagine what would have happened if Giuliani's had not been in charge of New York City in 2001, had not been allowed to make the egotistical decision, against all the advice of actual experts, to put the emergency command center on the 27th floor of the #1 known terrorist target in New York.  Imagine that.

Lives would have been saved.   How many?  Who knows, but many.  The planes would have hit the towers and the command center would have been in tact, up and running.  Firefighters and police officers would have been informed of the situation and switched to a different rescue scenario, one that involved pulling people out of the World Trade Center much faster instead of blindly running inside to their deaths.  If only Giuliani had not been in charge--if only--then so many of the heroes of that day would have been heroes because they saved people's lives instead of  being heroes because they rushed into a burning building to their deaths. 

But instead of having this discussion, Herbert reminds us, we are forced to deal with the Manichean lie that Rudy Giuliani is an 'expert' on the very thing that he should be  tried and convicted for. 

And what makes this continued appeal to well-crafted phoniness so disturbing--what we seem only able to see as a nation when reflected in moments such as Gore's being awarded the Nobel Prize--is that we are dealing on a daily basis with the deadly tragedy of the exact same kind of false claims.

George W. Bush has been elected and re-elected on the well-crafted phony lie that he is an expert on fighting terrorism, on the idea that his ideas would save lives from terrorism while the ideas of his opponents would cause countless deaths if not the destruction of America and democracy itself. 

And what has happened?  Americans with the help of journalists have flocked in droves to the barbecue of well-crafted phoniness and thousands upon thousands of lives have been lost as a result.

Each day we embrace this well-crafted phoniness from Bush that his actions are saving lives from terrorism, and each day his actions cost us more lives and bring more terrorists into the world.  And what do we do?  Do we look around for real leadership for intelligence and talent to clean up the mess and solve these problems?  No.  We look around for another barbecue buddy instead.

Herbert's observations help us understand that Gore is not just a prize winner.  He has become a reminder that this country is standing on the edge of a cliff and that carbon emissions are just one small aspect of that dilemma.

As Herbert argues cogently, asking if Al Gore will decide to run for President again is "like asking someone who's recovered from a heart attack if he plans to resume smoking."   I agree.  It makes no sense.  What does make sense is to look at Al Gore's Nobel Prize and demand that this country does not again choose the barbecue test over the leadership test--does not go for well-crafted phoniness over talent and intelligence.

Speaking to this very problem in his press conference, yesterday, Gore made the following statement that should have been repeated by every journalist in America:

There is an old African saying:  "If you want to go quickly: go alone; if you want to go far: go together."  We have to go far--quickly.

(watch the video here)

We must go together and quickly on so many levels. How insulted we should all be that so few journalists bothered to report this powerful insight by Gore, focusing instead--as they often do--on the well-crafted and phony reactions from the right-wing media.

Barbecue, indeed.

(cross posted from Frameshop)

Follow Jeffrey Feldman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JeffreyFeldman

Comments

[GenericBlogger]

Journalists are certainly to blame for Gore's difficulties in the 2000 campaign but they don't deserve all the blame. Believe it or not, Gore bears some responsibility for miscommunicating and he accepted that in the Vanity Fair article noted below.

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/10/gore200710

It's unfortunate that some so called journalists put aside their journalistic ethics and turned into partisan goons armed with vilifying minds and poison pens. What astounded me the most was the small number of media members (referring to them as journalists is a stretch) who singularly and collectively participated in character assassinations sufficiently strong to take dissuade voters away from Al Gore and the failure of Al Gore's handlers to properly address these attacks. The Clintons arguably wrote the book on dealing with personality attacks during campaigns. Why Gore's people didn't use lessons available from the Clinton campaigns and instead resorted to Michael Dukakis' losing tactics is a puzzle.

The failure of journalists to, for the lack of better words, check and balance other journalists was another contributing factor to the 2000 election outcome. Will journalists do more and place rogue journalists where they belong in this and future campaigns?

Modern technology presents opportunities for communication like never before. The internet and blogosphere facilitates communication and flow of information so quickly that an attack must be opposed soon, the same day or the next at the latest otherwise the impact of the negative statement will set in and reversing it is almost impossible.

I don't expect much from viewers who spend the majority of time they dedicate to national news watching TV news networks, including the comedy shows of Stewart and Colbert. However, I expect more from viewers and readers who also spend a significant amount of the time they dedicate to news on the internet and blogosphere.

The failure to oppose and neutralize attacks on Gore cost Gore votes and in hindsight, those votes were costly to everyone in one way or another. Keeping attacks on candidates is a concerted effort, everyone must do their part.

[JustDavid]

Are we saying our system of selecting leaders doesn't work? I think so. Our elections have always been popularity contests....Qualifications, Smalifications. In recent years, Eisenhower, Reagan, Schwartznegger. We would have never heard of W if not for daddy's name recognition. (And research for yourself why daddy came to prominence). Football stars, music stars, a wrestler, etc. A NASCAR driver would win the South hands down.

Face the truth: All successful candidates are nothing less than employees of one or another behind the scenes big money syndicate. They buy a puppet to get their way.

We would have better leaders if we just drew names out of a hat!

None of our forefathers were totally happy with the Constitution and the only way they got everyone to sign it was to provide for future modifications or rewriting. Thomas Jefferson wanted a constitutional convention once every generation. We have so many systems that don't work...Selecting leaders, justice, education, health, taxes, economy....Anything that sorta works does so because we are blessed with the finest piece of real estate on Earth, a hard working and inventive people, good climate, etc.

But how in the world could we have a meaningful constitutional convention now? All the special interests would be there.

[llozano]

There are a variety of opinions out here but unfortunately they are relegated to the fringes of the debate and therefore are unable to garner the financial backing to get their word out. We go for the candidate who we are told is electable not the one that is best qualified to lead and govern.

[johnb3950]

Jeffrey, just a small point

"The command center would have been in tact"

What is "in tact?"

Did you mean "intact?"

[NOSMAVAN]

As long as we hang on to this absurd idea that there can only be two opinions in a country of more than 350 million inhabitants, we will be hamstrung by the quality of our leadership.

It should not surprise anyone that under these circumstances there is no incentive to excel; quite the contrary, mediocrity is the norm and the expectation. Consequently, we will end up in a vicious circle of steadily deminishing expectations and corresponding inept "leadership".

[RobertPaul]

Excellent article!

One small problem with your logic though.

We (as voters) are often only given a choice between two BBQ buddies.

In the case of '08, we will have a choice between Rudy and Hillary.

Is this the best our country has to offer?

If so, then we are well and truly doomed.

[GuiltyUndertaker]

Why would I want Bush as a barbecue companion? The man is a bonehead. How do you have lively conversation with someone so dense? He's not even funny stupid, like Yogi Berra. Two minutes talking to a guy like GW Bush and I'm looking for any excuse to move elsewhere and hope he doesn't follow me.

[splashy]

The problem is the sociopathic corporatists have taken over the media. They WANT war and mayhem, because it brings them more and more money.

We are in the grips of truly evil people.

[whathehell]

Excellent piece.

A must read for all American children who aspire to be good citizens.

[ZingoBonMot]

whatthehell

BINGO! Great piece!

[richardgordon]

Both Jeffery Feldman and Bob Herbert get to the heart of the problems in America today.

It seems that half the country is on some kind of opiate dream, the other half is vigorously trying to wake them up.

I think by and large the American Media does a terrible job of educating the American Public. In a 300 + channel TV universe there is nothing but drivel and escapist fare - as one poster has stated above, "American's don't like reality." Precisely the problem.

Who does the American Media focus on? Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, Brittney Spears. What are the hero's of American Folk Lore: Batman, Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk.

Is there a common thread? None of these people bear any relationship to reality. As, is so clearly demonstrated by the Republican great white hope, Fred Thompson. In the world of fantasy Thompson plays a tough sophisticated all wise District Attorney. In real life he's a bumbling fool who can't remember his lines.

And yet, the media insists on telling the lies over and over again of course, the dimwitted public laps it all up.

Remember, 50% of the population has below average intelligence. You can tell them anything and they will believe you. I am certain they are all Republicans.

[ZingoBonMot]

richardgordon

I've long said that 85% of the American population are complete morons, 11% are above average, and the remaing 4% are so bloody smart they can't talk to anybody, and either end up building bombs for the MIC or blowing their own big brains out in frustration.
And you're right. "Americans don't like reality".
They do, however, like "reality shows".
Amazing. Utterly amazing.

[RaderBarbarian]

And so died the great experiment in democracy. But only a few of the obese people in the United States really noticed or even cared, because the barbecue was soooo good!

[rgblue]

No doubt about it; the majority of the American media sucks. We now have some of the worst reporting and greatest omissions and most ridiculous clobberings (anna nicole, Britney, WHO GIVES A CR*P?) in the world. It's an embarrassment.

Bob Herbert, however, is one of the few shining lights we have left.

[DocManhattan]

One thing to remember is, that while the media certainly have contributed to the whole godawful mess, nobody hypnotized or drugged the entire United States into believing all that garbage. The voters that swallowed it did so willingly, all by themselves.

There are many in America that were never fooled by Bush, and saw the potential in Gore despite all the things that were said and written against him. There is more information available to voters from more sources than ever before -- and it is each individual's reponsibility to make sure they stay informed on important issues.

In the end, voters need to take responsibility for their own decisions. All the tools are available to us. It's up to us to use them properly.

[ProfessorDuh]

Right. In fact, the phoniness isn't even well-crafted. That's just something we tell ourselves to avoiud facing an even uglier truth — how the bovine herd of modern Americans calmly chew their Fox News cud as they are led to the slaughterhouse ramp.

[bowserbois]

Right on!!!!! I am one of those that was never fooled by the boyking. I voted against him twice. I'm from the south, and we love bbq's, but I didn't want to attend this one.

[DawnWE]

EXACTLY! We cannot give to anyone else our responsibility to discern quality from ineptitude, bold-faced lies from earnest attempts at truth, sanity from stupidity. We have to take responsibility and encourage our families, friends, neighbors to do the same.
We all have to PAY ATTENTION and step up.
Yea for Jeffrey Feldman and for Bob Herbert who both spoke up so well!

[newworldman777]

The media should indeed accept responsibility for having focused on Gore's "non-presidential" appearance and behavior, while at the same time basically having ignored an array of disturbing facts about W.'s sordid past: W's cowardly avoidance of Viet Nam; W.'s going AWOL from his military duty (an offense normally punishable by a dishonorable discharge and imprisonment); W.'s exhibiting an alarming lack of intellectual development. Had the media done their jobs, we would probably have been spared from the depressing scenario of this disastrous Bush/Cheney regime that rules over us.

Our electorate should also accept much of the blame for our present situation with this messianic Neocon administration that has led us straight into a ditch. Our populace, predominantly uneducated and intellectually lazy, failed to do their duties as citizens by enlightening themselves, through their own research, about the problematic "W."

We can now witness our ignorant electorate blindly offering support for Guiliani: the one-dimensional "hero of 9-11" who calls Ron Paul "on the carpet" for daring to suggest that 9-11 was "blowback" resulting from America's past and present immoral and selfish foreign policies. I can't see that much has changed with our election process.

Does anybody really think that our electorate would elect someone with a wise -- albeit unpopular -- vision for America and the world? Let's see..."If you elect me, I will end this Iraq war and raise taxes. This will provide us with money necessary for developing alternative energy sources, upgrading our infrastructure, drastically reforming our educational system, and addressing the real problem of terrorism. I will implement population-control and immigration-limition measures to ensure that our posterity will have a quality of life comparable to ours. I will hold talks with those whom our present leaders have labeled 'evil,' and I will promote new policies -- without the harmful influence of Judeo-Christian beliefs or leaders -- regarding the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, to encourage world peace." When this country elects someone like this, hell will have long since frozen over.

[joebaggadonuts]

Backward looking truths are not all that helpful when the car is moving forward. Continuing to insist that the American Public cannot learn is not helpful. Since the key to our collective future successes is the requirement that at least a substantial portion of the American Public become educated and give up their Ayn Randian fantasy world view, their cherished belief in everyone else being Left Behind and their self loathing and fear of those who look different or come from somewhere else, I suggest that you put your considerable intelligence toward that end instead of promoting the losing view you espouse, newworldman777. Please. Get a grip. Change starts with the man in the mirror.

[deminmo]

If you listened to Rush the day after Mr. Gore
won, you would have heard the spin that envelopes most of the country. We do not have a global problem. There is no such thing as "man-
made" enviromental problems. "Most" scientist
disagree with Mr. Gore's hypothisis. And in the
case of Rush you would have heard how he was a
better candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. He
would have given the prize to the brave military
and so on....

Only when the water has already covered the east
coast will the ice caps have melted.

As far as Mr. Gore running for President, for
his sake, I hope he doesn't. For what he went
through, no way.

And if the press wants to do the real job they
are paid to do, then stop the political spin,
work to uncover the facts and truth yourself,
and always stand up against anyone who attempts
to shut you up.