Richard Belzer @ Huff Post: "Tear Heard 'Round The World"

[Hissyspit]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-belzer/tear-heard-round-the-wor_b_80956.html

Richard Belzer
Tear Heard 'Round the World
Posted January 10, 2008 | 04:15 PM (EST)

How fascinating to watch the reactions and unending analysis over what essentially was a slight show of emotion and vulnerability: Was it real? Was it fake? Was it planned?

- snip -

If this is what sways elections then policy positions, experience, intelligence, a grasp of the issues and a vision for America are absolutely meaningless in this context.

Is he or she nice? Who would you have a barbecue with? Who would you date? Who could be left alone with your children? How real are their hunting skills? How does their spouse treat them? What do their kids look and act like? Who famous people are endorsing them, and of course what the candidate looks like is very important. Wow!

Are we still in high school or what? How can we as a nation be taken seriously if we treat our leaders as celebrities and not leaders. Not to mention the breathless frothing at the mouth of certain cable news personalities with their adolescent glee at every permutation in this campaign.

MORE

[terisan]

1. Trivializing Candidates,Sidetracking issues, What is Belzer going to do for women in America?

[edbermac]

2. That clip is being analyzed like the Zapruder film.

:sarcasm:

[rodeodance]

3. Tweety et all feed the fire on this.

[Stephanie]

4. We're looking for authenticity, and actions reveal it.

We've been lied to and misled for so long what matters now is truthfulness and sincerity. And Hillary Clinton has a sincerity problem. She's seen as fundamentally insincere. Even her supporters say so. "She's not really for the war! She HAD to vote for it so she'd appear tough like Mrs. Thatcher!" That's her problem and that's why it matters.

[aquart]

5. But Bush has no sincerity problem. He fakes it just fine.

As does every one of the Republicans and not a few Democrats. So MAYBE the AUTHENTIC one, the GENUINE one is the one who can't fake it on demand.

Or wasn't your school advanced enough to make you read King Lear?

[Stephanie]

8. Why are you being so insulting, Abby?

This primary has really brought out the worst in you. Can you make your point without the rudeness?

[aquart]

12. Because I wasn't looking at names.

I would have phrased it better. I would have said just like in King Lear. Good you called me on it.

But I'm raw from what's been going on here and I start at pretty much everything.

[madmom]

7. Do you really think when there are cameras around they all aren't acting

it is a common reaction to try to act "good" in front of cameras and the public no matter how you are in private. They ALL do it.

[Stephanie]

9. I want to know what the candidate believes and what they stand for.

And I'd like to get a sense from them that they're genuine and sincere. I get that from Obama and Edwards. There really are people in public service because they care about the country, and the planet. There really are politicians who believe what they say and say what they believe. Not all of them, obviously.

[madmom]

11. I have to respectfully disagree, I like Edwards myself, but can't help

believing they all play for the camera and the crowds, human nature and all.:shrug:

[SoCalDem]

6. America...Pick the "boring, geeky" guy (gal)

America...Pick the "boring, geeky" guy

Posted by SoCalDem in General Discussion

Sat Nov 04th 2006, 03:44 PM

The real difference between democrats & republicans is something that most women understand.

Every girl over 12 or 13 knows how it works..

We ALL want the "cute" guy..the one who's usually dismissive of us..the one who treats us like shit, cheats on us, doesn't call when he says he will, hits on our best friend..

Time after time, we forgive him because he says the words we want to hear, or promises to "be good"..he seems remorseful, and he gives us gifts..

But

he always cheats on us again, and yet.. he's just so darned cute..he's got money, everyone likes him, he drives a great car.. we just want him..dammit..

Lurking at the back of the classroom, there's a guy who is not nearly as attractive as "cute guy".. he's smart, he's thoughtful and he's trying his best to get our attention. he LOVES us, but we won't give him the time of day.

Why?

"he's too serious"
"he's a dork"
"he's not fun"
"he is always studying"
"he wears white socks"
"he's teacher's pet"
"he's not athletic"

and of course, there's always "cute guy" saying what we want to hear, dressing like a million bucks, making us promises..

What eventually happens is that some of us wise up and grow up. We find that "geeky guy" will grow up also, and given some attention and time, will grow into a guy we can finally see as "smart, cute guy"..

or some of us manage to grab onto the original "cute guy" and end up being treated like shit by him for as long as we stay attached to him.

Republicans are "cute guy"..they have all the answers..all the soundbytes we love to hear. They tell us what we want to hear. Their plans are always great on paper. Everyone (media) loves them. they dress well, they speak well, they impress us.

Democrats are "boring, geeky guy".. They actually dig into issues and try to understand them. They tell us things we NEED to know...not things we want to know.

Republicans : "Fire ..pretty.."
Democrats : "Fire...burn you "

Ted Bundy was a "cute guy"


just sayin'


disclaimer: Some democrats (JFK comes to mind) can be BOTH..

Republicans are rarely both

[libbygurl]

10. The gushing, adoring comments about Obama I read about everywhere (not just on DU) by

his supporters just make me feel creepy.