Don't Get Too Excited

[poliphilo]

In order to have a run at the Presidency of the USA you'll have had to eat a lot of crow and tread on a lot of fingers. Obama, Clinton, Romney, McCain- these are not nice people. 

And all of them- long since- will have ceased to have much to do with people like us- that is to say people without power or the hunger for power. The people they mostly consort with are those they can do deals with, those who can give them money or deliver support.

That's the nature of politics.

Whoever gets in they'll be beholden to the same baronial powers, in hock to the same military-industrial complex. It'll be nice to have a change of face at the top- and if that face turns out to be black or female it'll be a cheering indication of how social attitudes are changing- but that's all it'll be.

Comments

I don't know my history as well as I should

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

There is so much posturing. Last time around, poor John Kerry got roasted for wearing his 'Dickies' jacket (Dickies is the name of a popular brand of outdoor clothing here) and you could see he'd probably never had one before (and oh, yes, "Who among us does not love NASCAR.") He tried too hard. I can remember watching the debates the first time Bill Clinton ran, and he was down in the audience shaking hands. Probably a lot of 'us' think that when someone seems approachable, that makes them someone who knows what it's like to not be rich.

People ALSO forget that the prez can say he'll change such and such, but unless he has the support of Congress, it ain't happening.

This has nothing to do with your question, Tony. The answer to that is "I don't know."

Re: I don't know my history as well as I should

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Bill Clinton obviously likes being round people (it probably energizes him) so all that glad-handing comes across as sincere. He's a lucky guy. He's got a charismatic and attractive personality and he doesn't have to work too hard to convince the crowds that he's one of them.

Politicians who don't have the "common touch" are better off not trying to fake it. We're wise now to the forced smiles and the publicity stunts. If you can't convincingly present yourself as a man of the people then go for an image that plays to your strengths. Our own Gordon Brown is a grim, unclubbable soul and wisely (most of the time) has chosen to project an image of rectitude and competence. It's not very exciting, but it has always worked for him.