Celebrity State!
Okay, so I’m not a bandwagon kind of guy, and I certainly don’t want to associate myself in anyway with the distasteful likes of Rush Limbaugh, but then, who in their right mind would? And I don’t want to agree with McCain’s addle-brained perspective on things either, cause well, then I’m afraid I’d have to voluntarily commit myself to psychiatric observation, and possibly electro-shock ‘therapy’. But as I was reading the build-up and the hype around Obama choosing his running mate, and seeing the frenzy that the media whipped up about it, I began to see some of what McCain was talking about with Obama’s ‘celebrity’ status. I will say right here and now, that I totally disagree with McCain’s insistence that Obama is on par with Britney or Paris, and he is not vapid or empty at all, this is a man of substance. It just so happens that within the ingredients of that substance, there’s a dash of ‘celebrity’.
It’s not his fault by any stretch, but it’s not like he hasn’t played into it…fully. And this whole VP hype, and the texting of his decision, and all of it, just seems well, less than substantial. It seems gimmicky and, yes, a bit vapid. It just feels like a distraction…already! And he’s not even president, yet. This is probably the most important election we’ve had, since the last one, but it just feels like we have a lot to be talking about, and moreover, that they should be talking about. Seems to me, if Obama was really about the issues and changing things, he wouldn’t play into the bullshit games that this three-ring political circus revisits each election cycle. All I’m saying, is that if he was truly wanting this election to be different, he would have just be all like, “That’s my healthcare plan. And by the way, after much consideration, Joe Biden’s going to be my running mate. Now about that conservative deficit.” or something like that.
But that’s not exactly how it played out. And again, it’s not entirely his fault. We have let this hype and hysteria take over and given rise to this celebrity state that he resides in. Be honest. He didn’t just come forward and proclaim himself a celebrity. That’s not exactly how it works. (Right? Robert Bowen is a celebrity!! ….nothing. Didn’t think so.) So the public wrote the check, it just sucks that he cashed it. Good to know he can resist the temptation of influence. You know, in case he’s ever in a position of, say, power. So shame on Obama, and shame on us.
Now I know, in this election, Obama is the most exciting thing going on. Let’s face it, with McCain running against him, Obama could be ten times less dynamic and charismatic than he is and he’d still be kicking that old man’s ass from coast to coast. And there’s no way McCain could pull off this kind of build up for his running mate. Who’s it gonna be? Who gives a fuck? No one. Not even conservatives are really talking about it. Could be Romney, could be Lieberman. Could be nobody really gives two shits, because Obama’s celebrity shine is far brighter than anyone else in the race. So he’s the only one that matters.
Poor Biden, actually. He’s in a huge shadow cast by Obama, and is going to have to really step it up if he wants to seem like a contributing factor to this ticket, and not merely window dressing for those who have been critical of Obama’s experience. Especially in regards to foreign policy issues. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a feisty one, but that’s not quite gonna cut it. Hell, McCain’s feisty. Batshit crazy and detrimental to the health and well being of the nation, but in a feisty way. So can Sen. Joe measure up to the celebrity standard set by his partner in this campaign for the white house?
Who the fuck cares!!??!! That’s not what matters! Let’s not give the media another distraction for the next month and a half, as they try to gage whether or not Obaden fits as the next celebrity couple of the year. Forget all those issues you wanted to know about. This is the era of sensationalist yellow journalism. We don’t really do the whole issues thing. If it bleeds it leads, and if it has import, they won’t report. But that’s the price we pay for living in this celebrity state.




August 31st, 2008 at 3:50 pm
So what are your thoughts on McCain’s VP? Here’s a post I made I made on my blog…
Well McCain is officially trying to get all the disgruntled Hillary supporters with his vice president pick Governor Palin (AK). His campaign ademantly denies but it anyone who thinks otherwise would be fooling themselves. Unfortunately, I fear that it may work. Last I heard there somewhere around 33% of former Hillary supporters that said they would not support Obama, which is actually sad. I guess our politics in America have become so shallow as to place gender and race above the issues on voting priorities. If that truly is the case, we all deserve another four years of Bush-like policies to drive that final nail in our coffins and due the rest of the world a huge a favor.
What is even worse is that she apparently is the poster child for the right which has all the conservative rights’ panties tingling. She owns guns, hunts and fishes and recently chose to have a Down Syndrome baby rather than aborting it. God bless saint mother-fucking Palin. She does not just talk the talk though (like McCain). No, she actually lives her morals (the one thing I guess I can give her credit for)…
She likes to shoot semi-automatic assault rifles for the camera. So, then, why doesn’t she serve our country in Iraq instead?
Her baby has Down’s Syndrome. Comendable indeed for someone like her that can afford nannies, nurses and to pay for long term care. But what about those not as financially fortunate who follow her lead only to eventually pawn their burden off on the state and the tax payers through the medicare program, assisted care facilities and/or orphanages?
She also has a grizzly bear pelt on her office couch. I guess not all life is sacred, typical hipocritical Christian.
While the Republicans are wetting themselves for Annie Oakley I hope the rest of the country is looking beyond the rhetoric to actually think about what this McCain-Paulin ticket really means for the country. I hope we decide as a nation in November that we do not want another fear mongering, flip-flopping, party pandering, close-minded, antiguated thinking president and another gun-toating, hipocritical anti-nature/environment vice-president in the white house. While his selection of a woman VP may be progressive, the truth is that it just solidifies the fact that his presidency would mirror that of Bush and Cheney. Obama is not perfect (especially now that he’s flip-flopping on his once-correct stance on oil drilling), but he is at least different.
Coreys last blog post..Oh God Help Us…
September 3rd, 2008 at 9:03 am
@ Corey, and as someone on Feministing pointed out, it’s great how the McCain campaign is stressing Palin’s daughter CHOSE to keep her baby. So she had a CHOICE in the matter? Interesting how when it’s their kids, the Anti-Choice crowd stresses how they got to make a CHOICE. The CHOICE that they are fighting to take away from everyone else. Not hypocritical at all.
Good write up. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I didn’t get an e-mail about the comment so I missed it for a couple days.
September 20th, 2008 at 5:24 am
I agree with your post. Which is not something I will usually do!
I enjoy reading a post that will make one think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!