Don’t Sock it to Me!
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008It’s been quite a while since I have posted here. I thought I would hold up my duty to the First District and post something I just posted on Grizzly Groundswell, regarding political candidates appearing on comedy shows on TV.
This has got to be one of my political pet peeves. Along with politicians forcing me to think their kids are cute, as I have previously ranted on Michigan Redneck II. Ever since Richard Nixon went on “Laugh In” to deliver a deadpan delivery of “Sock it to me” there has been some sort of “coolness” factor added to campaigns. Don’t get me wrong, I love and adore Richard Nixon. Mostly because he was talking about welfare reform back in the day. Back in the late sixties and seventies everyone said he was crazy. Now look at how bloated this welfare “entitlements” have gotten. Sorry, off topic. I have also seen reruns of “Laugh-In.” It was a funny awesome show. So I have nothing against that show, or any of it’s modern copiers.
Perhaps I am a bit old school, but I think candidates, especially presidential, should stay off the comedy shows. This got me thinking about this after John McCain was on “Saturday Night Live” last weekend. All while growing up, it would happen occasionally, but now everytime I turn around, a candidate is trying to “ham it up” on TV. I am not picking on John McCain, I also don’t want to see Barrack Obama or Hillary Clinton on these shows either. At first, I thought, it wouldn’t be too bad if an elected officials, who aren’t running for anything, were on these shows. But then I realized, it is just as silly.
I think candidates should be a bit more dignified. They need to stop “being one of us.” I don’t want “one of us” to be president. Although sometimes, I think “one of us” could do a better job. I understand that they need to get face and airtime. That is what the news shows are. These news shows are for asking serious questions for serious candidates. But then again the line between serious news and entertainment has been blurred in the past few years. Turn on the cable news programs and whatever’s up with Britney, Lindsay or Paris is “BREAKING NEWS.” What on earth? I thought that’s what the Hollywood Channel, or whatever it is called, is for.
Basically, what it boils down to is, just a mere distraction from the issues. If he is funny, he will do the will of the American people, or so the thinking goes.
Thank you for paying attention to my rant.
Check out the post here. And check out all of the Grizzly Groundswell blog, where there is a collaboration of great up and coming conservative bloggers contributing.