I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

John McCain, Comedian in Chief

Who knew John McCain was running to be the nation's Stand-up Comedian. During an interview this morning on NPR (transcript here) he basically says that comparing Obama to Paris Hilton was really supposed to be a joke.

"... I strongly recommend that people who don't find humor in that relax, turn off the computer and go on it and get some fresh air and try to regain some..." He was cut off at that point.

See, John was just trying to be funny. You know, ha ha. See, he was just kidding. As Ellen Degeneres says in her stand up routine, "..and then once you're upset they say, 'Just kidding.' As if that makes it all right. They were just kidding. 'Well, obviously you don't know how to kid because we both should be laughing.'"

For some reason I have visions of the McCain campaign pulling the online video of the ad and replacing it with the tag "Video deleted at the public's pantiwadulous response" (here's a link for those that don't get that joke, if they want to know).

So I guess I know now when John McCain says something so totally outrageous, he really did mean for me to laugh at it. And I thought I was doing that as a sincere form of sarcasm. Now I know it was for effect. Bravo, McCain, most candidates wouldn't have the courage to crack jokes like that.

Also, just because I'm sure with that first link some one, somewhere will be vanity checking. To Senator McCain, please sir, learn the positions of those who are working in and endorsing your campaign. To have Steve Schmidt make a quote in the WSJ and then you have to say you never heard that just makes you look amateurish. This isn't (by far) the first time you've had to distance yourself from either a key advisor or a key endorsement. The person running your vetting needs to have a talk, as does the person handling your campaign communications. People are so off the farm to be considered "free-range politicos."

5 comments:

Jim C. Hines said...

I heard part of that interview this morning on the way to work.

I know I'm biased, and I'm sure that bias colors my perception of the candidates. But listening to McCain, I kept thinking, "This guy just sounds like a jerk."

He's never believed in negative messages? Um, maybe he hasn't been watching the same ads I have. He should, since his name and voice are used stating his approval...

Anonymous said...

He should, since his name and voice are used stating his approval...


Well put.

Steve Buchheit said...

Jim, I had that exact same thought, and I liked the guy back in the 2000 election. He's turned over everything he stood for before. I just can't like the guy anymore. And that whole, "we were just joking" explanation was just bully-ish. Didn't they practice for this question? If not, there's bigger problems in the campaign than not being able to fully vet people.

And what Camille said.

Anonymous said...

I have to turn off the radio or television when McCain comes on, because he makes me so angry. He addresses the audience as "friends," when I am decidedly not his friend.

He uses the phrase "we Americans" before he spouts off, as if all citizens within the border agree with him.

The citizens of every other country on the planet must think all Yanks are loons, for even considering this guy for office. But then again, look at GW. I guess they already know that all Yanks are loons, at least those who vote.

:: stomps away, fuming ::

Steve Buchheit said...

Sheila, well, if the re-election of GW didn't prove to the rest of the world that we're all bat-shit crazy here, practically nothing will.

The McCain speech impediments are relics of a by gone era and a style of speechifying that he, sadly, can't measure up to with the rest of his rhetoric.

"McCain in the White House? No thanks. We're all full up on crazy here."