PIGS, LIPSTICK, DICK CHENEY, SARAH PALIN AND THE MOVIES: "BOB ROBERTS", "A FACE IN THE CROWD" AND WILLIE STARK

Of course by now we've all seen this.

I wrote much of what appears below without knowing just how to begin it - and those wacky Republicans solved my problem.  The response to this boilerplate Obama statement was to issue a vicious attack accusing him of sexism because of Palin's convention speech "lipstick/hockey mom/pitbull" quote.  This despite the fact that the metaphor has often been used by Republicans including Dick Cheney - to say nothing of John McCain - look here:

The McCain campaign, not only in its choice of Sarah Palin but in how they use her, is leaning on very scary  tactics that are similar to the successful exploitation of voters illustrated by some of the most memorable characters in American political films.  Watch this trailer for Tim Robbins' Bob Roberts; see if it isn't more familiar than you wish:

   

Creepy, isn't it?  A demagogue making his way to the top by lying about his opponent and manipulating the alienation of the American people for his own ends.  That could never happen in real life, right?

Much, much earlier in film history, the beloved Andy Griffith played one of the scariest public personalities ever in A Face in the Crowd -- written by Budd Schulberg and directed by On the Waterfront's Elia Kazan.  He's not a politician but watch the trailer and see if it doesn't seem familiar.  You have to watch until the end to get the full impact.

It's so depressing -- and enraging -- to watch this campaign peddling pseudo-folksiness to win over its public.  It's time for that to stop working in our country.  Stakes are too high to permit us (or the press) to fall for the most  approachable (and least honest) over the most excellent.

Finally, remember Robert Penn Warren's remarkable novel, clearly based on Louisiana's Huey Long - All the King's Men?  It portrays a politician on his path to becoming a dangerous demagogue.  Yeah, I know it's melodramatic but does it feel at all familiar? 

Clearly we should consider these archetypal characters as cautionary tales; instructive representations of our future if we allow this kind of campaigning to prevail.  Movies are our largest export (unless video games have taken over while I wasn't looking)  and often reflect, if not our truths, at least our ghosts, shadows and neuroses.  It gave us The Body Snatchers in the 50's, Easy Rider in the 60's and Working Girl and Wall Street in the 80's.  It's easy to be seductive, to manipulate language and truth; easy to pretend to be one of the people in order to win them. The vicious, craven strategies of this campaign - and Sarah Palin herself - are  perfect examples; John McCain, whom I used to admire, has allowed, no encouraged, this shameful campaigning in his name and surrendered all the positions of principal that he once held.  If we don't want (another) Bob Roberts (He does remind me of GWBush) or a cynical populist pretender or a MS Wilie Stark as our government, it's up to use to exercise vigilance and fierce commitment to fight off these transparent manipulations and to ensure that it does not happen.

Comments

[Linda]

What are folks thinking? or not..McCain's campaign is messing with their brains. They have cloud ed up their ability to process truth from fiction, right from wrong and have given them some frightful amnesiac that makes them think all they need for second in command of our country is a NRA member hockey mom. I can't believe this is happening. What are folks thinking?

[Kay Dennison]

This is my first visit here and it won't be my last. I enjoyed this post immensely.

My ex-husband's father said more than once that "The average man is awfully damned average." My take is he was and is right and that it's never been more apparent than this election.

I am frightened for my country but I don't recognize it anymore.

[Janet Wendy Spiegel]

Very good post, Cindy. Excellent examples here. I have so many problems with McCain's choice of Sarah Palin that I literally read pro-Palin rhetoric and watch the TV sound bites with jaw hanging open. I just don't get it. Or rather...I do get it...I'm sad to have to believe it.

[Kathi]

Thanks for the hard work to assemble the film metaphors which hopefully won't guide our nation anymore, but it's worrying. I'm afraid the general populace IS a lot more stupid or at least not willing to analyze the real issues. That's what the cynical Rovian politicos are betting on--why isn't it as plain to them as it is to us!?

What's so frightening is how a disastrous war, $5.00 gasoline and horrendous leaps in food prices don't seem to deter them from a febrile wish to be deluded by style and lies rather than substance. God help us.

I'm forwarding this article far and wide--thanks! ~Kathi

I apologize.... Your comments post to the top not the bottom.

Hmmm.... you monitor what comments you let get posted?? Typical.

Oh brother.. .just more proof that the 'wacky' liberals are running scared.

[Cynthia Samuels]

Just returned from offsite meetings to these wonderful comments so I'll answer them all here.
MELISSA: I don't think the American voters are stupid I think they're vulnerable and the McCainies are exploiting that vulnerability.
JILL: I know. It's just unbelievable. Except it's happening.
CYNTHIA-- Interesting comment and interesting post, too
KAREN, JEN AND JUDY: I believe in the American voters - but how well they respond to a campaign depends on how it speaks to them Right now the Republicans are using the lowest common denominator - I'm hoping it can't work forever... it's getting a bit tired. Of course I'm watching cable all day so many voters aren't as sick of it yet as we junkies. We just have to hope the GET sick of it....

[Judy in KY]

Unfortunately, I don't think most voters are smarter than Rove and company think they are. At least where I live... people are eating this crap up and loving it!

[Jen]

I think the voters are smarter than Rove and co. think they are. At least I hope so.

[Karen S.]

Excellent, Excellent post. I'm linking to it.

[cynematic]

Ha, while you were thinking of Oscar-calibre movies, I was thinking genre.

As in, McCain-Palin are GOP zombies from the Dawn of the Dead. Their ideas are DOA, their policies have no pulse.

http://momocrats.typepad.com/momocrats/2008/09/mccain-palin-in.html

Let's help the Republican ticket STAY dead.

Vote 'em down for good.

[Jill]

And this from McCain about Clinton and health care:

"McCain criticized Democratic contenders for offering what he called costly universal health-care proposals that require too much government regulation. While he said he had not studied Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton's plan, he said it was "eerily reminiscent" of the failed plan she offered as first lady in the 1990s.

"I think they put some lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig," he said of her proposal."

See the rest here.

[Melissa, Multitasking Mama]

Couldn't have said it better myself- Sarah Palin is the scariest thing since Dick Cheney! What the heck are women thinking making her out to be some kind of superhero? She is a member of the NRA for heaven's sake! Even as a busy mom of three, one of which has special needs, you are not going to sway me by calling yourself a hockey mom and parading your family around. I vote on the issues and Obama has had my vote all along!!