Elmer Fudd and His Gosh-Darned Overhead Projector, Jell-O, and Obama to Voters: We Are Sick of Shopping

McCain looked like a piece of chalk, shuffling around the red-carpeted stage, a grumpy old man armed with a double-barreled shotgun surveying his property, Elmer Fudd "hunting wabbits." The cartoon character, who sings, "kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit," aims to shoot Bugs, but ends up seriously injuring himself.

"This is a guy who sang, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran, who called for the annihilation of North Korea. That I don't think is an example of speaking softly," Obama soberly pointed out.

"I'll get Osama bin Laden, my friends," McCain said. "I'll get him. I know how to get him. I'll get him no matter what and I know how to do it."

Obama appeared to be the leader for our time, sitting calmly on his stool; one slim leg casually extended, with his thoughtful, alert expression. McCain kept on looking down and sideways, instead of up and out. (McCain could have used Sarah Palin's tanning bed to try and get some of Barack's healthy glow.)

John McCain seemed old and out of touch. The Republican candidate looked like he should have gone to the bathroom before the debate started. McCain harkened back to Teddy Roosevelt almost misstating him, also Hoover and Reagan for God's sake. McCain did not come off as a unifier. He talked about Obama and his "cronies" -- how could he have even used a word like that? He sounded semantically constipated.

When Obama addressed the environment, climate change and green jobs, he said, "this is not just a challenge, it's an opportunity." He pointed out that "it can be an engine that drives us into the future the same way the computer was the engine for economic growth over the last couple of decades." He discussed going paperless with medical records to reduce error and cost.

McCain-Palin can say they are the engines of change until they are blue, or in this case, red, in the face. McCain offered no real comprehension of the world we live in and no new ideas, except for what sounded like a half-baked plan for the government to buy mortgages from homeowners facing foreclosure.

Still, with all of the global crises, while John McCain failed to project any new ideas about the future, he was fixated on the overhead projector (OHP) -- an evolutionary step ahead of the blackboard and cousin of the slide projector, which has already been replaced by PowerPoint with the ingrained use of computers in every facet of life today on planet earth.

The U.S. Army in 1945 was the first to use the OHP in quantity for training as World War II was coming to a close, after which it was introduced in schools and businesses in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has fallen out of favor since the 1990s due to the limited resolution available and relatively dim, fuzzy image produced by the overhead.

The angry senator mentioned the OHP twice during last night's debate. As Dana Milbank of the Washington Post wrote, "John McCain needed a big night at Tuesday's second presidential debate to turn around a race that seems to be getting away from him. So he hit Barack Obama where it hurts: in the overhead projector...The markets took another plunge Tuesday in what pretty much everybody calls the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. And we're talking about overhead projectors?"

This wasn't your average overhead projector for bullet points written on transparencies. It was an education tool -- to project the beauty of the celestial sky on the ceiling of Chicago's Adler Planetarium, the first planetarium built in the Western Hemisphere is the oldest in existence. Part of a package of requests, it was supposed get kids interested in the cosmos to inspire future astronomers and astronauts. It wasn't even approved.

"My friends" John McCain kept repeating, "My friends." Only this did not extend to his opponent Obama. For a jock, it sounded decisively un-sportman-like -- especially with McCain not shaking Barack's hand after the debate. Even in boxing rings, the opponents shake hands after hauling off at each other. Instead, McCain objectified Obama by calling him "That One." What also clearly leaves McCain in the last century is his xenophobic, racially-tinged casting of Obama and his out of context quoting of his opponent, all of which has been surreally punctuated by Cindy McCain's comment that Obama has been running the dirtiest campaign ever.

When McCain talked about having to withdraw U.S. Troops around the globe in "humiliation," he was being a jock. This seems ironically like a Middle Eastern concept, a male-centric neurosis.

Obama seemed more than ever to be at the crossroads of history, the right man at the right time at the right place. The stars have aligned for him. He has worked hard at moving them.

John McCain looked like a piece of chalk, but he could have used a projector.

"Well, you know, nailing down Senator Obama's various tax proposals is like nailing Jell-O to the wall," grinned McCain. How about Jell-O on the ceiling? John McCain would probably be for that.

"How does McCain know what nailing Jello is like? Did he have Jello in prison? Or, you know, nails?" "Rhubarbs" posted on the New Republic's online political forum. Another email alias, "adaglas," wrote: "More importantly, why on earth would one ever have the need to nail Jello? Has there been a rash of Jello thefts that I'm not aware of? Is the Jello trying to wriggle away for its life?"

Red Jell-O naturally. McCain, who Letterman jokes eats dinner at 4:30 p.m., evokes the image of an early bird special diner who orders Jell-O and cottage cheese as a heart healthy choice.

Does Jell-O symbolize John McCain's understanding of going green? The country is changing -- has changed -- even people chanting "drill baby, drill" (a good jingle for headache medicine) now buy organic soda in bulk, energy bars, and granola at eco-friendly stores. A few months ago, as my boyfriend and I were perusing Whole Foods, Tom, who is from Georgia, said, "If people who live in what was rural Georgia a few decades ago now shop at Whole Foods, Obama has a chance."

John McCain seems stuck in Jell-O. Cindy McCain probably makes it for him in little molds.

McCain doesn't use email and has no interest in it. It's like the advent of the printing press, the telephone, or the car -- and McCain's prefers riding in a horse and buggy.

"Damn Obama and his gosh-darned overhead projector..." was a thread on reddit.com, an online news forum, which solicited the following comments. "What would you rather have? An Iraq war or a fucking awesome overhead projector, health care, alternative energy, social security, roads, clean air, jobs, homes, etc.? I choose overhead projectors and all that other great stuff," posted "hotinsomniac8400."

"It was an overhead for a planetarium as well. Not just some overhead projector for something useless. I remember going to the planetarium as a kid and becoming a lot more interested in science because of it. If money's going to planetarium, I'm cool with it..." wrote "Foo7."

In response to a question about what sacrifices each candidate as president would ask every American to make to help restore the American dream and to get out of the economic black hole that we're now in, Obama answered as follows.

"You know, a lot of you remember the tragedy of 9/11 and where you were on that day and, you know, how all of the country was ready to come together and make enormous changes to make us not only safer, but to make us a better country and a more unified country.

"And President Bush did some smart things at the outset, but one of the opportunities that was missed was, when he spoke to the American people, he said, 'Go out and shop.' That wasn't the kind of call to service that I think the American people were looking for."

We are sick of shopping. As a twenty-seven-year-old, I teared-up and felt my spirit soar. People of all ages, but young people especially in this country are hungry to serve our country in a meaningful way.

Obama invoked President Kennedy when JFK said we're going to the Moon in ten years. Obama said, "nobody was sure how to do it, but we understood that, if the American people make a decision to do something, it gets done."

Read more reactions to the Obama-McCain Town Hall Debate from HuffPost bloggers

Comments

[JBS]

"I'll get Osama bin Laden, my friends," McCain said. "I'll get him. I know how to get him. I'll get him no matter what and I know how to do it."

... and your little dog too!

[ArmyCentrist]

If he knows how to find bin Laden, if it's so easy to fix Medicare and Social Security, then why haven't you done it in the past 26 years?! And why don't you just tell Bush, so he can do before he leaves? Country First, my ass...

[shamiso]

ArmyCentrist, thanks a lot for your comment. Why is it Mccain did not tell Bush where to find Osama all these years, we have been spending billions of dollars looking for him?
Country first that it is the slang, he rushed to Washington to fix the bill of 700B problem and came back empty handed after he had suspended his campaign, because he was loosing in polls. Mccain has nothing left to tell us. What did he fix in 26 years? Not Mccain, no more 4 years of the same 8 years of failed Bush policies.

[wingnutslayer]

McCain's secret plan to get Osama (my friends) is comically reminiscent, to those old enough to remember, of Nixon's secret plan to end the Vietnam War. That plan eventually ended up being just pack up and get the hell out. McCain now is trying to utilize the always dependable Republican push button, patriotism. In my red neighborhood, where thinking is so twentieth century, it works. Most people understand that politicians have been using patriotism to get there way since long before there was a USA and it's a pretty empty strategy. The Palin-led move to equate Obama with a terrorist is a very dishonest, dangerous and irresponsible ploy. We aren't that far removed from Timothy McVeigh and Eric Rudolph and the many abortion clinic killers of the nineties, American right wing terrorists all. Some of my aforementioned neighbors, have expressed some pretty hair-raising ideas about what's going to happen when (not if) they wake up the day after the election to discover that a black man is their new leader. It's very worrisome, and as an avowed liberal, spawn of the devil, I feel like I have a big target on back.

[irishgawdess]

"a male-centric neurosis" I like that, it explains sooooo many things.

[GhostNyc]

WAIT A MINUTE...

Sen. Barack Obama tried to sneak in an earmark for a million dollar projector to be used in a planetarium ....primarily to teach kids about Science!!

First you want to educate young children on how to protect themselves against sexual predators and now you want to teach them about science so that they can be competative in the science jobs/fields of the future?

HOW DARE YOU...

How dare you Sen. Obama put the needs of the people first. Inspire hope amongst millions of Americans who felt trapped in the hypocrisy, ignorance and sheer neglect of our current administration. How dare you...foster discussions on race, humanity, humility and fairness.

I WILL SHOW YOU SENATOR....BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA.... I WILL VOTE FOR YOU...AND TELL ALL MY FRIENDS TO VOTE FOR YOU TOO.... AND SEE IF YOU CAN KEEP THAT ATTITUDE WHILE SITTING IN THE OVAL OFFICE....

[LilaGrace]

BRAVO!

What else is there to say?

OBAMA/BIDEN FOR AMERICA 2008!!!

[aussiegal77]

America is an amazing country. Obama believes in America and the ability of the American people to make the seemingly impossible, possible.

I hope that this country returns to what it was before: one that people all over the world find inspiring. I live here but I can't vote (not a citizen yet). So I hope that all Americans come out to vote on Nov 4 and vote for Obama.

I remember a time when coming to America was the greatest dream my parents had. Now - they're not so sure. At their age, they can't afford to not have decent health insurance. It makes me sad. I love Australia but it makes me sad to see America lose the respect of the world. It makes me sad that America is beginning to be a cautionary tale. And it especially makes me sad that some Americans can even support McCain / Palin with all the hatred they spew.

Obama is clearly so proud of his country and wants to restore her rightful place in the world. Come on America - help him get there!!!!

[jaglon]

Yes, read the Rolling Stone article about McCain. It should be recommended reading for every undecided out there. I almost fell down laughing the other night when I heard McCain calling himself the 'cool one you want to have, under pressure'. McCain is Bush on sterriods. He is all over the place with an extremely disorgainized campaign; a perfect reflection of what a McCain administration would look like.

[booker52]

Sen McCain just across as mean. The "That one" comment was just way over the top. Come pretty close to calling Sen Obama a black man. I am just waiting for that. The McCain camp has called Sen Obama every name but that!!!

[BuckeyeGal]

Not the first time he's done it. I remember being completely disgusted with his remark about "platitudes." He said it in such a nasty tone of voice. This was before Barack became the nominee. McCain has such a mean spirit, which in these troubled times can only be a detriment.

[BannedFromCommenting]

though I agree.. still lets not make fun of his pale look...as that is due to cancer, so the last thing he can partake in is a tanning bed as you mentioned... But spray on tan would have worked.. or makeup

"McCain could have used Sarah Palin's tanning bed to try and get some of Barack's healthy glow."

[JiminNC]

Sawah Pawin can get those wasscawy wabbits for you Elmer.

[MsYellowDog]

Finally,I am beginning to hope that the American people can plainly see that the Emperor Has No Clothes,and they are(most of them)willing to do something about it.

[dmac]

The owner of the company I work for is of similiar age and similiar demeanor. He is always right, easy to anger, vaguely misogynistic, and repeats himself incessantly. His mind is closed and pays no attention to the world around him. He is incapable of thinking beyond the end of his own nose.

He and McCain are so alike it's scary.

But....the owner was recently lucid enough to recognize it was time to get out.

[susierr]

Elmer Fudd! That's hysterical.

OBAMA 08

[GoNitro]

Reagan? Hoover? TR? I thought Sarah made looking to the past off-limits...

[ojellod]

Oops!! Sorry, I meant Navy!!