There is Nothing More to Say About This Election...

... because John Cleese has already said it. Sarah Palin scares the crap out of everybody.




While I never intended to make this blog political, I'm amazed that people are falling for the theatre of this election. I am stunned. Joe the Plumber, Tito the Builder, What's-her-face the Caterer; people fall for this. The big secret (that isn't really a secret if I know it) is that all of these people were invited to the rallies they are now known for and the candidates in question knew ahead of time pretty much what they were going to say. Tito showed up, according to the New York Times in his hard had and orange vest. That is pure theatre. This is an attempt on the part of the McCain campaign to make Sarah Palin and her millionaire boss appear more like ordinary people. This is theatre; Tom Stoppard couldn't have written it any better. Any attempt on the part of the democrats to use Joe the Plumber to make themselves appear ordinary is just as staged, just as theatrical. Barack Obama, too, is a millionaire, although not on the order that John McCain is. Every time you see one of these politicians do something in public, it is theatre. It is calculated. It is intentional. They know if you see the candidate in question eat barbecue with his sleeves rolled up, you're going to like him more. Don't fall for it. Pretty much as soon as you begin to think becoming President of the United States is something you could achieve and other people don't cart you off to the loony bin, you are no longer ordinary. You may still enjoy beer, but Joe Six Pack is no longer your drinking buddy, and hasn't been for a while.

I know college educated adults who fall for some of this stuff. If you want to vote for one candidate or the other because you think he has a better understanding of issues of policy, then go for it, but don't vote because you empathize with Tito the Builder or whatever. That would be like a victorious write-in campaign for Martin Sheen because we liked "The West Wing." I'm voting for the guy whose policies represent my values, having read platforms and listened to speeches, I know who that is.