Last night I watched the debate episode of “The West Wing” on tape delay, because John, Matt, Sparky and I were out watching “Spirited Away” at last. While I didn’t think the episode was nearly as kick-ass as it could and should have been, it still caused me to form a 100% serious question in my mind:
Can anyone give me a reason why we wouldn’t be better off with Martin Sheen as the President instead of the current occupant? (I’d also love to have Stockard Channing as the First Lady, but that’s another issue.)
I’m dead serious about this.
While, as a trained actor, Mr. Estevez can make us feel better by saying things reassuredly, as an untrained politico, he would do the exact opposite of his character on the show: never (be able to) second-guess his own advisors on anything. In other words, he’d be even more of a tool than Ronald “Where is my mind?” Reagan. That, for sure, is a frightening thought.
Our current resident has at least some history of political rule as governor of Texas (as well as on-the-job training for president the last 20+ months). Therefore, he is more aware of the mechanics and expectations of the position. He’s not as stupid as he sounds.
He would merely lose the single most important election issue when facing off with our beloved Ramon: who’s better on TV?
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I go now.
To defend Bush by lauding his ability to second-guess his own advisors is pretty funny, I think. But that’s just me.
I think it’s drawing the distinction between a Demo-Bot and a Republi-Box. Those increments of self-determination at that level of politics get sliced pretty thin.
i love the west wing.
I couldn’t agree fucking more. Let Aaron Sorkin write the speeches (provided he stays off the shrooms) and let Sheen speak them, and I will be a billion times happier. Maybe even 2 billion. Of course back him up with some competent advisors, which I’m quite sure Mr. Bush doesn’t have, otherwise they’d never have let the fool run.
“Fool me once… sh-sh-shame on you…. fool muh..fool muh… you can’t get fooled again!”
gonna post a review of spirited away? i’d love to know what you thought of it.
Dennis Miller was critiquing the vice-presidential debates in 1993 and said that “the public crucifixion of [Ross Perot’s running-mate General] James Stockdale was one of [his] lowest moments as an American citizen. … He’s a brilliant, sensitive, courageous man. And yet he committed the one unpardonable sin in our culture: he was bad on television.” That’s what I think of when people slam our current resident-select George W. Bush for acting like a dolt. Have you ever met him or experienced anything about him that wasn’t filtered through the media? Aren’t most of our current political experiences coming from TV? He’s not a complete moron; he fooled the whole world into thinking he is the President of the United States of America. He’s a horrendous public speaker, yes. But that is not the single factor by which we should select the one to serve as our chief executive. What we (and entertainer Aaron Sorkin) don’t know about what goes on in the White House, let alone the entire District of Columbia, could fill a thousand television programs.
Please, own up to the fact that TV is still ruling our lives, watch “Network”, repeat.
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I go now.
No, I haven’t met him or any other President or experienced anything about them that wasn’t filtered through the media.
But my point is, what *have* we experienced about GWB that leads us in *any* way to think he’s thoughtful, intelligent, experienced or any other of the myriad qualities we want in a President? What do we have to go on? Has he written anything? Does he have any political experience other than as governor of a state with one of the weakest governors in the nation?
I agree that public speaking ability is by no means the only factor upon which we should judge a President. (Although I think a basic facility with ideas and thought is pretty important, in whatever way you express that.) Give me some other way to evaluate him in our admittedly media-saturated culture, and I’ll take it.
Unrelated tangent: What did you think of Spirited Away?
I would like to at least go on record that I did not vote for W, nor do I like him being our president. I truly despise defending him in any way whatsoever.
I would also like to admit that having that illiterate drunkard in the White House makes me uneasy, nervous, and angry, and that I would like some comfort there. I just don’t want the comfort to come from a sound and light show; I want actual competence.
As for how to judge any president’s performance, I’m sorry I don’t have the answers you seek. Most political “experts” have a hard time of it; I’m a mere amateur.
(Tangent: “Spirited Away” is excellent.)
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I go now.