June 22, 2009

The politics of personality

“Senator” Boxer - Only one scenario could justify the upbraiding directed at the General. If the General been addressing all of the male members of the committee as Senator and then responding to Senator Boxer as ma’am, some comment may have been appropriate. Is that the unreported part of the story?

I think it more likely reflects the utter disdain that politicians have for the rest of us. Her remarks did not occur in a combative, emotional exchange. She wasn’t fighting for respect denied her, a temporary casualty of mutual anger. She was expressing her lack of respect by dressing it up as indignation..

Governor Sanford - How difficult is it for the truly arrogant to act humble? Even in situations where humility is clearly the path to take, politicians try to sidestep or finesse.. Is there any other explanation for President Clinton’s apology/lecture reminding us that his indiscretions pale in comparison to our appalling interest in them? How does one explain Mr. Guiliani announcing the end of his second marriage (to everyone including his wife) at a press conference? Or Governor Spitzer parading his wife in front of the cameras for his big moment. After all, what’s humiliation without pictures? John Edwards? Considering the backstory, his withdrawal statement was almost too creepy for words. Remember “don’t worry about me.”

People fall out of love. It happens. But political infidelities often lack that element. Bill Clinton does love Hillary. John Edwards loves Elizabeth.. Their spouses love them. But mere love is no longer sufficient. It is hard to settle for love when adoration is so readily available.

Governor Sanford sounded more sincere than most and his pain was evident. But like most political apologies, there was an awful lot of me talk. This press conference will play less well with each revisiting. The governor acknowledged that he let down his wife, children, staffers and friends. I can’t help but think that his biggest regret is losing life on the pedestal, a claim to respect, deference and admiration that we all crave but seldom feel that we deserve. We are usually right.

David Letterman and Sara Palin – David Letterman looked absolutely perplexed when the reliable groundswell of support for liberal bad taste didn’t occur. Others have made equally distasteful attempts at humor without repercussions but children are off limits.

Circling the wagons around Sara Palin is a mistake about to be made (again). Conservatives should grasp that the criticisms of Sara Palin were all valid ones. Yes, she was great on the stump, personable and her decision-making as governor could be defended, even applauded.

But……..Sara Palin was not disciplined or intellectually curious. She was weak in interviews and even worse didn’t seem interested in getting better. Democratic strategist Kirsten Powers could have articulated the conservative position better than Palin and Representative Michele Bachmann, who struggles against some of the same media bias would have embarrassed her in a debate. Like Palin, Bachmann has had some self-inflicted troubles but she is both a student and architect of policy. Palin is more of a cheerleader.

Sara Palin is no dummy but as a VP candidate, she was a mistake. Republicans were right to defend her, but shouldn’t try to resurrect or reinvent her.

There is a much to admire at Fox News, primarily in the daytime programming. The twenty-four hour Michael Jackson coverage was simply an embarrassment. MacNeil Lehrer News report covered the O. J. Simpson arrest, the opening day of the trial and the verdict because it was a news decision not a business decision. Fox should be ashamed and of course, so should everyone else.