Post – June 5, 2003 – words mean things

The thing that struck me, looking at the accompanying image of Bush at the podium, was the backdrop of bleacher-seated soldiers. Since reading that piece a while back about the awe with which the Bush image-crafting team is viewed by other media types, I’ve been paying more attention to it, and it’s true: for all of Bush’s failings, his image people are the best in the business. He can be delivering the most inept, foot-in-mouth speech in US presidential history, and the only people who notice that part will be the White House press corps and a few obsessive webloggers. Meanwhile, what most US voters see is a newspaper image or a 5-second video clip on TV that tells a complete story: Bush the commander in chief strides purposefully across the flight deck, helmet under his arm. Bush in profile, mythic, in front of Mount Rushmore. Bush in the driver’s seat, laughing, as the leaders of the Arab world allow themselves to be ferried around in a golf cart. Or, as in this case, Bush, sleeves rolled up, in front of a sea of admiring soldiers.

I wonder how those people in the backdrop feel. Honored, I suppose. Look at me, ma! I’m in the same frame with the President! You notice there’s no waving to the folks at home, or otherwise mugging for the camera. No, these folks are serious. They’re respectful. They’re paying rapt attention to the wise pronouncements of Glorious Leader. I’m sure they were very carefully chosen for the right attitude, and briefed on the expected behavior. (As well as being chosen to achieve exactly the right balance of age, gender, and ethnicity.)

So there they are, in the special bleachers, carefully lined up with the little holding pen where the photographers will be, ready to do their part (again) to make the president look good, staring at the back of his head while he delivers his lines from the Teleprompter.

Being used. And happy about it. Which, come to think of it, is pretty much the position the rest of the country is in, too.

4 Comments

John Callender
June 5, 2003 at 9:33 am

The thing that struck me, looking at the accompanying image of Bush at the podium, was the backdrop of bleacher-seated soldiers. Since reading that piece a while back about the awe with which the Bush image-crafting team is viewed by other media types, I’ve been paying more attention to it, and it’s true: for all of Bush’s failings, his image people are the best in the business. He can be delivering the most inept, foot-in-mouth speech in US presidential history, and the only people who notice that part will be the White House press corps and a few obsessive webloggers. Meanwhile, what most US voters see is a newspaper image or a 5-second video clip on TV that tells a complete story: Bush the commander in chief strides purposefully across the flight deck, helmet under his arm. Bush in profile, mythic, in front of Mount Rushmore. Bush in the driver’s seat, laughing, as the leaders of the Arab world allow themselves to be ferried around in a golf cart. Or, as in this case, Bush, sleeves rolled up, in front of a sea of admiring soldiers.

I wonder how those people in the backdrop feel. Honored, I suppose. Look at me, ma! I’m in the same frame with the President! You notice there’s no waving to the folks at home, or otherwise mugging for the camera. No, these folks are serious. They’re respectful. They’re paying rapt attention to the wise pronouncements of Glorious Leader. I’m sure they were very carefully chosen for the right attitude, and briefed on the expected behavior. (As well as being chosen to achieve exactly the right balance of age, gender, and ethnicity.)

So there they are, in the special bleachers, carefully lined up with the little holding pen where the photographers will be, ready to do their part (again) to make the president look good, staring at the back of his head while he delivers his lines from the Teleprompter.

Being used. And happy about it. Which, come to think of it, is pretty much the position the rest of the country is in, too.
Becky
June 5, 2003 at 9:55 am

Absolutely! The article is full of incredible images — Bush “fresh from a 2-day mission aimed at bringing peace to the Middle East,” Bush viewing Iraq from 31000 feet (his kingdom?), Bush telling the soldiers “We’re on the look.” The only bright spot is the bit about Tony Blair being in trouble — at least the British people seem to mind being lied to.
julia
June 5, 2003 at 1:47 pm

and look at that picture, too…

sad.
james_jackson
June 7, 2003 at 10:55 am

As for your OJ quote, no, it doesn’t really remind me of that. What the article brings to mind is something my grandmother used to say:

We’re goin to hell in a handbasket with hand grenade earrings and gasoline perfume.

Post – June 5, 2003

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