Dean Barnett wrote an interesting post about how robotic politicians often seem. Excerpt:
It’s weird about politicians and TV. Off screen, politicians are often witty and engaging people. But on TV, most of them religiously and rigorously stay on message, even if the message is a hollow, unfunny and inscrutable one liner.
One big thing I hate about politics is how inhuman politicians feel they have to act in the public eye or otherwise they’ll get attacked. That’s why they’re always sticking to their talking points like some talking points programmed robot that barely inputs what other people around it are saying.
It’s time for a human politician! One who would say stuff like what we would say to each other or write on blogs (well maybe not this blog). Someone who doesn’t worry that some people might get offended or take a joke the wrong way, because if someone starts to make an issue out of something he says, he’ll say, “Stop being such a whiny little girl!”
And, really, there are a lot of people in politics right now who need to be told to not be such whiny little girls.
On the sidebar is Frank’s new line of deep fried turkey roasters for humorless politicians. (Darn, I GOTTA go back to work now!)
//And, really, there are a lot of people in politics right now who need to be told to not be such whiny little girls.//
Not John Edwards; he’s a lady.
Sadly, the majority of Americans wouldn’t go for an honest politician. It’s almost as if we prefer being talked to out of both sides of a Pol’s mouth. I’d prefer a straight-talking, ball-crushing candidate. I made sure to add Straight-talking so you knew I wasn’t referencing Hitlery.
So very true D/E. People only want to hear what they want to hear. They don’t want to hear the truth, because then they might actually have to DO something or they might have to change their opinion or worse yet say they were wrong.
Whatever you do don’t tell the truth, no one will like you.- it’s like 3rd grade all over again.
DesertElephant: This would be the main reason I supported Giuliani (before I knew about the wondrous Fred!), even he has started to lose that quality though…
I say we find someone to run and put that idea to the test. I don’t think anyone who’s gotten in trouble for actually telling the truth has told people to stop being whiny little girls, and I’m real curious as to how that’d play out.
Hazel.. I’m just too young to run right now. Maybe in 2009 w can start my Campaign to be a Pain. Replace McCain or Kyl with a straight-shooting, opinionated, uppity crippled loudmouth. You know you want to.
I’d vote for an Elephant in the Desert.
It’s funny you should make this post — I was just telling the Missus that my theory about Obama is he’s not uptight enough.
Seriously, if he was a bit more “robot” on camera, he wouldn’t have sounded so eager to sit down with Lil’ Kim, so he wouldn’t have looked so stupid when everybody said what a terrible idea that is, so he wouldn’t have felt the need to make a passionate argument for invading Pakistan. The dude looks like a middle-schooler caught out by his friends saying something stupid, and trying to negate the first stupid thing by saying something 180 degrees the other way (but still stupid). If he were more guarded in his speeches, he wouldn’t look like such an idiot.
(which would be a shame, because he’s so much fun to mock)
The problem is, as soon as one of them speak off message they ARE torn to pieces by places like this and people like us. Take any comment by Obama that has been taken to task over the last two weeks. That was him speaking off the cuff. Granted, what he said was unprofessional, but most things said off the cuff are. It’s easy to be friendly and easy-going when you are surrounded by supporters or in a small group. But with 24 hour media coverage, blogs, talk radio and an endless election cycle these politicians have no choice but to speak on message.
Alex, if he had any balls though, he wouldn’t care. What kinda weak-kneed leader gets knocked of message by retards on the ‘Net like us. The Pansy.
Arnold referred to the entire Democratic contingent of the California legislature as girlie-men.
Unfortunately, all the pussy Democratic voters reacted by electing even more girlie-men to the legislature. Figuring he needed to go along to get along, Arnold got a sex change operation, becoming a full Kennedy.