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TechnoratiLast Night's Viewing and Other Afflictions
I've been sick in bed for a little bit, felled by a flu more powerful than a locomotive, hastened by a few too many days on Writers Guild picket lines in the chill and drear of a Manhattan November.
One mixed blessing: too dizzy to read, I had a chance to focus on that most treacherous medium, the one in which I allegedly make a living when not on strike, TV.
I was struck by two commercials in particular that seemed to sum up the decline of civilization. One was an ABC promo for the annual rebroadcast of the gentlest of children's specials, "A Charlie Brown Christmas."
Just a couple of weeks ago, an episode of the public television American Masters series focused on the life of Charlie Brown's progenitor, Charles M. Schulz. At one point, it told the story of the Christmas show's creation more than 40 years ago; how the special's original network, CBS, resisted the program's reverent presentation of the Nativity and its message condemning the commercialism of the holiday. Until the ratings came out the next morning -- half the country had tuned in. CBS ordered four more.
The 21st century version of a network crass act was the ABC promo for this year's airing. It began with a shot of a festive Snoopy accompanied by a shrill announcer's voice screaming, "WHASSUP, DAWG!?" If Charles Schulz were still alive, the next day's front pages might have read, "Peanuts Creator Guns Down TV Executives, Then Self." I simply lunged for the bathroom.
The other amazing advertisement was for an all-bran cereal, starring an actor playing a hardhatted construction supervisor extolling the virtues of regularity. As he spoke, in the background, demolition and other activities occurred, each a not-so-subtle metaphor for an efficient intestinal system. I counted about six, culminating, I kid you not, with a dump truck tipping back and unloading its contents.
Which somehow seems an appropriate segue to Wednesday's night's CNN/YouTube Republican presidential candidates' debate. You'll recall that in July, the Democrats (in deference to our president, I personally prefer to call them the Democratics, but it's your call) participated in the first YouTube debate. Viewers from around the country submitted their questions via videotape and computer.
It was an entertaining, freewheeling evening, as robust and energetic as an old-fashioned town meeting in a beer garden. There were queries about just about everything, from a range of interrogators that included a gun nut and a computer-generated snowman fretting over global warming.
When startled, starchy Republicans saw the unscripted result, realizing that they, too, had a YouTube debate scheduled for September 17, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and some of the others suddenly remembered that they had to wash their hair that night. Mitt told the Manchester Union Leader, "I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman." I see -- but it's okay to answer questions from the abominable Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity?
In any case, a stunned world responded with such force that the GOP changed direction and dragged themselves kicking and wailing into the world of reality television, finally settling on November 28 for the big CNN/YouTube Florida fiesta.
Impressions: Fred Thompson's so done he should have had a bone-handled serving fork stuck between his shoulders, like a "Law and Order" murder victim, although he did have the best single line of the evening when a munitions fan from Phoenix asked each candidate to describe their firearms collection: "I own a couple of guns, but I'm not going to tell you what they are or where they are."
The heated opening fight between Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani over immigration included Romney referring to a worker from outside the US as "someone with a funny accent." Duncan Hunter announced that he personally built the security fence between San Diego and Tijuana (THAT'S what he was doing all those weekends away from Congress). John McCain accused Ron Paul of being the kind of isolationist who caused World War II. Huckabee scored points by seeming the most sincere although he almost blew it with a glib, feckless response when asked what you-know-who would do about the death penalty: "Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office." Ugh.
None fell for a question as to whether they regarded the Bible as literal gospel. Asked about gays in the military, the candidates were either opposed or supported "don't ask, don't tell," including McCain. This puts him at odds with his late mentor, conservative giant Barry Goldwater, who memorably said he didn't care what soldiers were or did as long as they could shoot straight.
Biggest surprise: no mention of 9/11 until over an hour had passed, and no question, from a disgruntled NYC firefighter or anyone, about Giuliani's actions on 9/11 or the days and weeks immediately following, no question about the alleged lack of preparedness or proper emergency radios, or the failure to truthfully inform rescue workers and the public about the toxic air quality in and around Ground Zero. Prior to the debate, many had speculated that this was one reason Rudy had been reluctant to participate in the YouTube forum.
This on the day New York papers reported a survey from the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene revealing that children who were exposed to the dust cloud from the collapse of the Trade Center are twice as likely to be diagnosed with asthma. A study earlier this year found that Ground Zero workers have an asthma diagnosis rate a dozen times greater than the general population.
It's enough to make you sick.
Michael Winship, Writers Guild of America Award winner and former writer with Bill Moyers, writes this weekly column for the Messenger Post Newspapers in upstate New York.
Copyright 2007 Michael Winship
20 Comments so far
Show AllWhat issue is more lethal but especially important to the average citizen today than the rip off of the social security trust and ALL these politicians are to blame. However, the stealing of our social security happened with little or no fan fare and few citizens realized their money was being taken. I would be curios to know if there is any left or just what each candidate expects to do what with the baby boomers coming due to their social security. Probably another act that boosts retirement age to 70 and reduced benefits. But not much will be said about the theft of social security. Instead the old stand bys like abortion and creationism will don front pages.
abbybwood,
"To Daniel David:
"Democrats tagging the Republicans for outright theft of all the Social Security money is THE single theme that would win the election of 2008 by a landslide. Why don't we citizens help the Democrats find their bearings on this one?"
Simple answer: Because the Democrats have aided and abetted them the whole freakin' way! Hello!!!"
Yes, you're right. But the Democrats can and should be willing to point out how we can and should reverse the trend, referencing the brief era of surpluses at the end of the Clinton presidency and how those went away entirely with the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003.
Merely broaching the subject would make the Republicans look bad, because none of them will acknowledge what is needed to fix the raid that has taken place on Grandma's savings account, aka Social Security.
Great Republican debate, the only thing missing was Hermann Goering and Rudolf Hess, this was the Nazi wing of the Republican Party, wasn't it?
Very illuminating, nice to see them all chomping at the bit to agree to cut taxes and reduce spending, code words for, eliminate social programs and pass savings along to friends in the form of a tax cut.
To all those disheartened dem haters, the last time I looked the best candidate in the race is a proud Democrat, DK?
"I have absolutely no regret about my vote against this war. The same questions remain. The cost in human lives, the cost to our budget."
"The president led us into the Iraq war on the basis of unproven assertions without evidence; he embraced a radical doctrine of pre-emptive war unprecedented in our history; and he failed to build a true international coalition."
Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House
"One cannot win the Global War on Terror if one does not understand it,"
"If it were up to a Democratic majority, it would cut and run from the Global War on Terror, continue to coddle terrorists, create a United States Department of Peace and call it a day."
Denny Hastert former Speaker of the House
If that news story about Juliee-ano stealing funds to use to entertain his mistress is only half true, He may as well pack it up and hope he don't end up in prison.
Funny Romney don't know what torture means. __Is he single?
I liked the commercials. Love the one, Head-On, apply directly to the forehead.
Hmmm, wonder why, does it solve a problem? There are no explinatons or claims of what it's for. Of course it does bother me, that Americans must be purchasing the stuff, or they could not continue to run ads for it on most channels all day long 24/7 for over a year. A product which is likely made in China. It bothers me because, it sgnifies we are a strange bunch of people, to swallow such stupidity. ___That ad is less stupid than the 'debate' however.
I watched the horror show on CNN last night, too. The good news is there was another candidate who got a fork stuck in his ass, and was turned over: Mitt Romney. He's SO done. Did you see him sputter, cough, and equivocate when Cooper grilled him on abortion? Great stuff. Bad news is most of the repugs who might've been leaning toward him are probably going to go for that cross dressing authoritarian cadaver, Rudy, who regretably was not grilled about what really went down on 9-11.
Bigger than EPA induced murder by asthma is that the buildings fell at "free fall" rate, an impossibility if any of the structural steel existed intact beneath the supposed fallen by fire section of the building.
This is the most sure evidence that the buildings were fallen by controlled demolition, as is supported by the video evidence of the crime.
Structural steel melts at approximately 2000 degrees. Jet fuel burns at just 500 degrees. Dark billowing smoke, as was waft from the towers in the moments before they fell, is an indication of a poorly burning fire, a "choked" fire, as was reported by the fire fighters who reported the blaze as nearly extinguished in the moments before the buildings fell. They, the fire fighters, also reported hearing explosions as the buildings fell.
The WTC steel was quickly sold for scrap and melted. This constitutes an obstruction of justice as destruction of evidence. The towers steel should have been cataloged and reconstructed laying down in a field for analysis. Not melted and sold to overseas buyers.
busterkiki,
I've got the name of a candidate who is honest, neither lies nor wavers in his beliefs, who you always know where he stands. He's been in public service 30 years, and he's seeking the Democratic nomination right now. He needs your support.
His name is Dennis Kucinich. And he's no Barry Goldwater.
http://www.dennis4president.com
the best to the last and bottle said it best : abortion has its shades of grey ; torture is all black . If I was living in America , my departure would be imminent . What next ? the re-emergence of the Flat-Earth Society ?
Skewering Michael Winship isn't a percentage play, but I too wonder why he didn't glom in
on the torture exchange between Romney and
McCain, which should have eliminated Romney for further consideration as president.
Extremely stupid people have tried to use abortion as a single-issue touchstone for many decades by now.
Extremely bright people should now use torture the same way. The difference is
that with the pro-choice, pro-life thing there is all kind of ambiguity (even in the big sentimental argument about whether
the moment of conception is the beginning of life-- no, life started long ago and we all are a part of natural cycles).
What I am saying is that the subject includes
complex arguments on every side, many of them very good-- yes, on EVERY side.
On the subject of torture there is no argument whatsoever. Torture is an absolute.
It is an abomination. People who support it
actively or who acquiesce to it in their spiritless passiveness deserve severe punishment or at least a heightening of consciousness.
No person who is anti-Nazi, pro-democracy, pro-America should ever miss a logical chance
to speak out against torture-- YOU CAN'T DO
IT TOO MUCH!!!
Jesus, huh, poor soul, got her work cut out for her.
Jesus help us if we nominate, much less elect, a man who does not believe in evolution and thinks the world was created in 6000 years by an invisible being in the sky. Huckleberry should be kept in his pulpit to mesmerize the ignorant.
To: B. Traven (not the one who wrote Treasure of the Sierra Madre, unless you are female with a relative who was President of Mexico).
Barry Goldwater was scary in a lot of ways. My wife had a paying job with his campaign. I saw what he did up close. As an example, I was his constituent and had a big GI Bill problem in Washington. I wrote Goldwater a letter and in three days had apologies and restoration of my rights from the VA with a "sorry to have inconvenienced you" tenor to the letter. Goldwater stood up for what he believed in -- the American People. Was he scary? Right. My father was so scared of him he thought Goldwater was going to waste Vietnam with nukes. I found him to be true to his beliefs. Don't confuse Goldwater with McCarthy's insanity. He was no Johnson, for sure. I am not disappointed that Goldwater was not elected, but he never wavered in his beliefs, he was not a liar and you knew where he stood all the time. We should have someone with his honesty, but we don't, or can you name one?
Three things I try not to forget. History is re-written to portray the desired realities of those in power and those ruling -- and therefore becomes the creative memory of a ruling class. Humanity is quick to adapt and normalize itself to conditions -- even conditions once regarded as intolerable. Broadcasting and the repetition of its messaging is a wonderful process for programming selected realities as there is no exchange or true conversational forum where people can collectively experience individuals who have differing recollections or experiences. In essence, boradcasting is a wonderful way to erase the stories and experiences of people who have come before you. Hold on to YOUR stories and don't let go -- in the end --they're all you have and will help you to remember and pass on life's wisdom and lessons.
yes,
you can kind of guess age. Now over a period of only say 20 years we are left to try and inform people about what it was really like during Reagan. That guy was no good. I don't care how moderate he now seems to those who didn't have to live through it.
I am always learning to respect what even the appearingly doddering one's are telling me in my impatience to follow through on some truth of my own I believe I am pursuing, while attempting to disregard some heartfelt truth the aged are telling me they have seen already in bygone time's before, in my enthusiastic impetuosity to get things done the right way - and thereby impetuously backtracking on the way I am trying to go. Or something like that.
Goldwater was a "conservative giant"? You're either under 30 or you're developing Alzheimer's. Goldwater came around on gay rights because he had a family member (nephew?) who was gay. But in other respects, he was a scary guy, finding communists and pinkos everywhere.
Too many people today think that Reagan and Goldwater weren't so bad because contemporary Republicans are so disturbing--but that's because R & G aren't around to shock us anymore.
To Daniel David:
"Democrats tagging the Republicans for outright theft of all the Social Security money is THE single theme that would win the election of 2008 by a landslide. Why don't we citizens help the Democrats find their bearings on this one?"
Simple answer: Because the Democrats have aided and abetted them the whole freakin' way! Hello!!!
BTW, I'd like to remind anyone interested that Dennis Kucinich will be streaming a live forum this afternoon and evening here:
http://www.kucinichtv.com/
Please pass along this information to anyone who might give a s#%t. This evening around 7:30 pm will be a discussion of the Impeachment issue with a guest from The Downing Street Minutes group.
And one last thing. I watched the YouTube Republican "debate" last night and Ron Paul definitely had the best zinger in my opinion. I hope and pray his campaign gets it on YouTube or Crooksandliars or someplace.
They showed his campaign "commercial" of thousands of supporters at various rallies holding signs that said, "Ron Paul Revolution". Then Anderson Cooper said, "What is that all about?"
Ron Paul said, (and I paraphrase) "The American People are sick and tired of this war in Iraq. They are sick and tired of having their money squandered on foreign entanglements. They want their liberties secured and national sovereignty restored! There's a revolution building out there with the American People and you don't even realize it!!"
Seriously. The best moment of the debate. I'm surprised Michael Winship didn't mention it.
How can Winship not have mentioned Romney's maddening obfuscation and moral cowardice for refusing to endorse McCain's position against waterboarding? Romney insisted that he would not say one way or another whether waterboarding is torture, on the grounds that this would tip our hand to our enemies.
Huh? This only makes sense if our enemies assume that we can be trusted to do only that which is legal. If we can assume that Americans never break their own laws forbidding torture, then saying "waterboarding is torture" would be equivalent to admitting "waterboarding is not done by Americans".
But of course our enemies have no reason to trust us, so the logic is flawed.
What would really tip our hand is if the President actually prosecuted torturers and their enablers to the fullest extent of the law. The question we should be asking Romney is whether, as President, he will prosecute, to the fullest extent of the law, the Americans who use waterboarding.
One of the most important questions of last night's Republican YouTube debate was addressed by at least two candidates, but the question itself was completely IGNORED.
"The federal government has borrowed 2 trillion dollars from the Social Security Trust Fund. What will you do to repay the funds and restore the trust?"
We got diatribe about entitlements out of control and overspending by the government. We got nothing near an answer, and to CNN's discredit, they did not insist upon receiving an answer. There are, of course, only two possible answers. (1) We will never repay the funds to the SS Trust, or (2) We will raise the high-end income and capital gains and estate taxes as needed, since the insufficiency (especially due to cuts by Republicans since Reagan) of those taxes is why Social Security funds were "borrowed" in the first place, and why that "borrowing" is expected to continue to 2017.
Democrats tagging the Republicans for outright theft of all the Social Security money is THE single theme that would win the election of 2008 by a landslide. Why don't we citizens help the Democrats find their bearings on this one?
Almost all television and most print, ie Time, Newsweek, causes acute physical pain when you try to digest it. Best taken as directed.
My advice, avoid where possible. Stick to a simple diet of truth.