August 6, 2008
Only a question of time
It all began in the Nixon era. Suddenly and without warning, Madison Avenue ad men took over presidential campaigns. As Theodore White warned, "Soon we will be packaging candidates like we package soap."
We were shocked, but it turned out that White understated. He got it. If Madison Avenue can convince us that the purple pill will make you look and feel like Dorothy Hamill, convince you to pay more for Bayer aspirin than the same pill in a generic bottle, then they can elect George W. Bush, they can swift-boat John Kerry or...well, you get the drift.
It was only a matter of when not whether,campaigns would morph into farce. Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert led the way, but we understood their goal--humor. Now it is open season. Yes, I refer to the Paris Hilton response to John McCain's stupid 30-second spot on superstar Barack in Berlin. (I can only imagine what my mother would have said.) Good Lord, Paris Hilton pretending to be a policy wonk in a swimsuit. What's next!
And the answer is--Miss Buffalo Chip! Egad! John McCain is 'round the bend, over the top, nutso. With thousands of bikers cheering and yelling he demeaned his wife by offering her up to the "Miss Buffalo Chip" contest in which, says the NYT, "The contestants sometimes end up topless" or less! I'm not making this up. McCain, looking inebriated or unhinged, said, "With a little luck she could end up the only woman to serve as the first lady and Miss Buffalo Chip." The bikers loved it--most of the nation cringed.
John McCain performed a miracle. He made Paris Hilton look like a serious person. By comparison with McCain in Sturgis, she is. That's the incredible part of this sad story. I can hardly wait for the McCain appearance at the Tailhook reunion.
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