Do We Know What Matters?
What’s so embarrassing for me (an old white man) about watching an old white presidential candidate say—almost indignantly—“Well
The Bulworth Candidacy
In the 1998 film Bulworth, Warren Beatty played a disillusioned politician who puts out a contract on himself, and then feels free to say exactly what’s on his mind. What he says is of course politically incorrect, but it forges a visceral connection with the public
Debating at the Cat’s Table
Michael Ondaatje’s eponymous 2011 novel grants romance and intrigue to the lowliest dining area on a ship—The Cat’s Table. There was absolutely no romance and not much intrigue in the junior league debate Thursday night. And the Friday newspapers were filled with the other debate,
Pre-debate Prep from Political Survivor
Here’s a quickie to help you prepare for the Republican debate on Thursday August 9. In 2012, my wife and I noticed certain phrases being repeated and decided to make a list. That list follows. You shouldn’t consider it a debate drinking game—just drink and
Game of Tribes
The folks who produce Survivor think that they understand tribes. Jeff Probst’s first official duty, on the first episode of every season, is to divide the contestants into tribes—for competition and drama. And of course all of that happens even within the tribes, because who joins which
The Campaign Circus
“God bless Donald Trump. This campaign has been a masterwork of performance art. He couldn't be doing a better job to illustrate just how absurd our election process has become.” Texas_Vinyl said that in the Comments section of an article about Trump vs. Rick Perry. These days,
Republicans Eat T®ump Sausage
We are all Donald Trump now. In 1963, JFK went to the Berlin wall and said, “Ich bin ein Berliner” (I am a Berliner). Following 9/11, many people around the world said, "We are New Yorkers." Now former National Lampoon writer P.J. O'Rourke has stepped forward
The Eight-Year Itch
Obama’s had a great couple of weeks politically, but he’s still gone as of January 20, 2017. That leaves a vacuum that the political arm of Mother Nature must find a way to fill. It’s one reason why more Republicans than you could stuff into
Monsters from the Id
"Monsters, John! Monsters from the Id!" That's the warning delivered by a dying Warren Stevens to Captain Leslie Nielson just before the climax of Forbidden Planet. And he's explaining the downfall of a civilization. Last week's monster from the Republican Id stepped out all elbows and insults. Do I have
The Race Card
No, not that race card. But some candidate will play it before the election. Promise. I mean the horse race card. I’m abandoning the Survivor metaphor for this time out, in honor of the first Triple Crown winner in nearly four decades. We’ll come back to