Style often trumps substance in debates, says MSNBC. It's very true, at least in terms of public opinion. We can see it illustrated in the extreme in the TV coverage of the crowds already forming in St Louis: wildly enthusiastic young women are waving "Palin Wins" signs hours before the event is to begin. To them it's a fait accompli. What actual words, what answers, what debate can change a mind like that?
I would go further and say prejudice trumps everything. Partisanship trumps everything. Reality means nothing. In a world where a truck can have the "soul of a sports car" it's about style.
There is far too much speculation going on about tonight's Punch and Sarah show. Will she make a fool of herself? Will she demonstrate nearly total ignorance of all the things a chief executive is expected to have mastered even to be considered for office? It won't matter. If she breaks down and cries, if she begins to writhe on the floor, spouting glossolalia and moaning about witches, it won't really matter. We'll be told that Biden was condescending for knowing what the first amendment says or who the Chief Justice is and that will be that. She will have shown attitude and edge and poise or any number of nebulous and irrelevant attributes and that will be that. Palin Wins!
Thursday, October 02, 2008
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3 comments:
I agree, these are serious times with serious consequences -- but don't lose your sense of humor. I'm counting on it.
BTW, what's going on in FLA? It's showing up more and more "blue" on the electoral college maps I'm seeing -- !
It's about being a housewife... she understands our problems because she is one of us...
It's exactly the criteria I use when choosing a surgeon: I want someone who says they have felt the same type of abdominal pain.
America deserves what it gets.
I'm seeing a few Obama stickers, but there are McCain signs all over. It's very hard to judge voter sentiment by looking around. The rare political conversations I have at the club usually end with blaming Clinton or writing this all off to regular economic cycles. I don't like to hate people, so I don't talk to them.
But yes, we deserve what we get. That's why I sometimes hope these small minded people get the small minds they want to lead them.
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