DaRK PaRTY ReVIEW

::Literate Blather::

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

5 Questions About: Media and Politics

An Interview with Media Observer and Journalist Dan Kennedy

(Dan Kennedy, an assistant professor at Northeastern University School of Journalism, publishes a blog called Media Nation. It analyzes media coverage – especially around political coverage. He’s got the eye of a journalist, probably because he does that, too. He writes a column for the Guardian (U.K.) and articles for CommonWealth Magazine and the Boston Phoenix (where for many years he was media columnist). He is also a regular on Boston area radio and WGBH-TV’s “Beat the Press.” DaRK PaRTY wanted Dan’s insight on the presidential race, how it was being covered by the mainstream press, and any wry observations he was willing to make about the Obama and McCain campaign machines. We struck gold!)

DaRK PaRTY: What is your assessment of the overall media coverage during this year's presidential race?

Dan: I’m willing to admit I'm an elitist, and I spend most of my time with elite media such as the New York Times and NPR. I think they've done a reasonably sophisticated job, although they're too timid to take on the broader narrative.

I would describe that broader narrative as the descent of our politics into a sort of insanity during the Bush years with regard to the White House's hyper-aggressive approach to foreign policy, the embrace of torture, domestic spying, radical capitalism (helping to foment the current meltdown), and an anti-scientific orientation informed by the most primitive forms of religious belief.

The general-election campaign has been defined by the decision of John McCain, a modern and worldly man, to embrace this insanity just as it is beginning (I hope) to pass from the scene.

DP: The Republicans have been crying foul over the media's treatment of Sarah Palin. What's your take?

Dan: The media have been far too kind to Sarah Palin, who is an exemplar of the most dangerous strands in our politics, as I explained in my earlier answer. We have all seen the video of her urging church-goers literally to pray that God will facilitate the construction of a natural-gas pipeline in Alaska. For that reason alone, I would not vote for her. And I'm not even getting into whether she agrees with the pastor of her former church, who said -- while she stood nearby, listening and applauding -- that Alaska holds a special place in God's plans for the post-Apocalyptic world. Scary stuff.

But there are many more reasons to be appalled by Palin, such as her lies about Troopergate, her non-existent opposition to the "Bridge to Nowhere," and her family's involvement in the radical, anti-American Alaskan Independence Party; her narrow-minded, vindictive approach to governing, documented by the Times, The New Republic, and numerous other news outlets; and her hate-filled, false rants against Barack Obama, which have had the effect of stirring up something close to mob hysteria. All these things mark her as someone who is profoundly unqualified to serve in any elected office, including the mayoralty of Wasilla, Alaska.

DP: If John McCain loses the election in November -- how much of it is because he picked Palin? What's been her effect on the McCain campaign?

Dan: My suspicion, though I can't prove this, is that Palin has hurt McCain more because of the opportunity cost involved in choosing her rather than in any specific thing she has said or done.

Imagine, if you will, the difference if McCain had chosen Mitt Romney as his running mate just before the financial meltdown began. Romney would be front and center, utterly credible and believable because of his successful business background.

It must be killing McCain that he has to hide his running mate from public scrutiny when he could have had one who would shore him up in an area where he is perceived as weak.

DP: Does Obama get better treatment in the press or is this another myth of the "liberal" media?

Dan: The answer to that is very complicated. The media have been notably tough on McCain for the miserable, negative campaign he's run; yet I still don't think they've quite gotten at how bad it's actually been. The media also have a longstanding love affair with McCain, and I think we've only seen that partially diminished this year.

Are the media in love with Obama? I don't know. During the primaries, I think he may have benefited from the media's well-established loathing for the Clintons, and there's no question that some in the media have swooned over the notion of a charismatic African-American presidential candidate.

We know from studies over the years that most elite political journalists are liberals. But the way those liberal journalists make their bones is by kicking the hell out of liberal politicians -- just ask Al Gore and John Kerry. That dynamic may be less at play this time because of disgust over the Bush years and the promise of something new represented by Obama.

DP: What is your assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the two campaigns?

Dan: That's a difficult question, isn't it? Obama has run a remarkably competent and disciplined campaign. Just a few weeks ago I thought he might deserve criticism for not fighting back as hard as he should. But by maintaining an even keel, he's put himself in a commanding position in the polls with just a few weeks to go. I don't think McCain is out of it by any stretch of the imagination, but right now it appears that Obama is winning by a lot. He is also principled, intelligent, and, despite his lack of experience, dauntingly well-informed on a vast array of national and international issues.

Obama's life experience, which is so unusual and interesting, does lead him to come off as somewhat distanced from others, which has caused some backlash against him. Then again, Republicans always enjoy some success casting the Democratic candidate as "elitist" and "aloof," so I don't want to get carried away with that.

McCain's great strengths are his moral courage, as exemplified by his POW experience, and his willingness to stand up to his own party on such issues as torture, immigration, judicial appointments, and campaign-finance reform.

By turning himself into a conventional Republican, and by choosing Palin as a sop to the right-wing base, McCain managed to fritter away most of those strengths. He has come off as erratic (to use Obama's word) and angry. That should be deadly on Election Day, but I'm not going to make any predictions here. OK, I'll make one: Despite what the polls say today, the final result will be close.

An Interview with Dan Kennedy about his book on Dwarfism

Under God's Right Arm: Jesus Would Vote for Sarah Palin

Blame the #$@% Media!

Labels: 5 Questions, Dan Kennedy, Media, Politics, Presidents

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Posted by GFS3 at 9:30 AM.

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Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Hail to the (Fake) Chief

Our Favorite Movies Featuring Fictional U.S. Presidents

Just in time for the debates and the election season, we give you our favorite movies featuring make-believe presidents. If only it were so easy!

Air Force One

Year: 1997

Plot in a Nutshell: Terrorists hijack Air Force One and the president is forced to forgo diplomacy and kick some ass.

Playing the President Is: Harrison Ford

The President’s Name: James Marshall

Is He Presidential?: If you like your leaders to be men of action (and better at hand-to-hand combat than his Secret Service agents) – then, hell, yes.

Party Affiliation: Unknown, but likely a Republican

Best Presidential Quote: “Never again will I allow our political self-interest to deter us from doing what we know to be morally right. Atrocity and terror are not political weapons. And to those who would use them, your day is over. We will never negotiate. We will no longer tolerate and we will no longer be afraid. It's your turn to be afraid.”

Cool Trivia: The role was presented to Kevin Costner first, but he was committed to doing “The Postman.”

Would We Vote for Him?: After he single-handedly takes out the terrorists and defuses a bomb? Of course!

Dave

Year: 1993

Plot in a Nutshell: An average Joe who looks like the president and sometimes plays his body double is forced to assume command when the real president has a heart attack during a hotel tryst.

Playing the President Is: Kevin Kline

The President’s Name: William Harrison Mitchell

Is He Presidential?: The real president is a scumbag, but the body double Dave is a sweetheart.

Party Affiliation: The real president seems to be Republican, but Dave leans to the left.

Best Presidential Quote: “If you've ever seen the look on somebody's face the day they finally get a job, I've had some experience with this, they look like they could fly. And its not about the paycheck, it's about respect, it's about looking in the mirror and knowing that you've done something valuable with your day. And if one person could start to feel this way, and then another person, and then another person, soon all these other problems may not seem so impossible. You don't really know how much you can do until you, stand up and decide to try.”

Cool Trivia: Oliver Stone makes a cameo as a journalist who tries to convince everyone that the president isn’t really the president.

Would We Vote for Him?: Thumbs down for William Harrison Mitchell, but a thumbs up for Dave.

The Contender

Year: 2000

Plot in a Nutshell: The vice president dies in office and the new president selects a woman to replace him. Dirty politics ensue and the new VP tries to maintain her dignity.

Playing the President Is: Jeff Bridges

The President’s Name: Jackson Evans

Is He Presidential?: He’s crafty and charming and smart – so a definite yes.

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Best Presidential Quote: “Napoleon once said when asked to explain the lack of great statesmen in the world, that "to get power you need to display absolute pettiness; to exercise power, you need to show true greatness." Such pettiness and greatness are rarely found in one person... Laine Hanson has asked that I allow her to step aside. She asked me to do this because she wants my presidency to end on a note of triumph and not controversey. Understand, those of you who worked to bring Laine Hanson down, that she asked to have her name withdrawn from consideration, NOT because she isn't great, but because she isn't petty. Because those two forms of leadership traits could not live in her body or her soul. Greatness. It comes in many forms, sometimes it comes in the form of sacrifice - that's the loneliest form.”

Cool Trivia: Joan Allen plays the VP hopeful and this may be her best movie.

Would We Vote for Him?: A president who bowls? We’d punch that ballot.

Independence Day

Year: 1996

Plot in a Nutshell: The Earth is attacked by aliens and the humans rally around the president at Area 51 in order to fight back.

Playing the President Is: Bill Pullman

The President’s Name: Thomas J. Whitmore

Is He Presidential?: He’s the kindred spirit of Harrison Ford in “Air Force One.” He’s a president not afraid to get his hands dirty.

Party Affiliation: Unknown, but he appears to be a Democrat

Best Presidential Quote: “Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. "Mankind." That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it's fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom... Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution... but from annihilation. We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day the world declared in one voice: "We will not go quietly into the night!" We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on! We're going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day!”

Cool Trivia: Originally, the producers wanted to change the name of the film to “Doomsday” and release it on Memorial Day.

Would We Vote for Him?: Depends on who he was running against. He’s a bit too earnest for our taste.

The American President

Year: 1995

Plot in a Nutshell: The widower president falls in love with a lobbyist.

Playing the President Is: Michael Douglas

The President’s Name: Andrew Shepherd

Is He Presidential?: All the way. And he can dance as well.

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Best Presidential Quote (see video above): “For the last couple of months, Senator Rumson has suggested that being president of this country was, to a certain extent, about character, and although I have not been willing to engage in his attacks on me, I've been here three years and three days, and I can tell you without hesitation: Being President of this country is entirely about character. For the record: yes, I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU. But the more important question is why aren't you, Bob?”

Cool Trivia: Robert Redford was originally cast in the role of the president.

Would We Vote for Him?: We’d vote for him and donate money to his campaign.

Vantage Point

Year: 2008

Plot in a Nutshell: A terrorist group tries to take out the president and a veteran Secret Service agent is all that stands in the way.

Playing the President Is: William Hurt

The President’s Name: President Ashton

Is He Presidential?: Yes, he gives a grand speech in Spain

Party Affiliation: Unknown, but a speech on terrorism probably means he’s a Republican.

Best Presidential Quote: “No, we have to be strong.”

Cool Trivia: The film takes place in Spain, but only the overhead shots were actually film there. The movie was actually filmed in Mexico.

Would We Vote for Him?: He’s got some loyal Secret Service agents who like him, but its difficult to get a take on his politics or his personality.

Absolute Power

Year: 1997

Plot in a Nutshell: While a thief watches him from behind a two-way mirror, the president attempts to rape a woman at a fundraising party and when she fights back she’s shot by the Secret Service agents. The president tries to cover it up, but the thief decides not to let him get away with it.

Playing the President Is: Gene Hackman

The President’s Name: Allen Richmond

Is He Presidential?: Are you kidding? The guy’s a criminal (well, some could argue that that is about as presidential as you get).

Party Affiliation: Unknown, but since he groped and raped a woman (not a man), it’s likely he’s a Democrat.

Best Presidential Quote: “He saw nothing. He saw a drunk woman who liked rough sex too much. He's a burglar. Who's gonna believe him? After all, it's not as if he has any evidence or anything.”

Cool Trivia: The film is based on the bestselling novel by David Baldacci.

Would We Vote for Him?: Ah, no.

My Fellow Americans