Howard Kurtz writes a decidedly sober article chronicling the madness surrounding much of the breathless reporting on the Obama transition. I mean, if you woke up from a Rip Van Winkle-style four-year slumber and were only going by the media coverage, you’d have to imagine that Americans had not just had an election but, rather, a Revelation from the Mothership and had been taken to the leader.
It is amusing to see how easily we slip into our own version of myth-making after all of these years of tearing down the myths of Americana. And interesting to see how some old myths will be resuscitated, altered, and used for different purposes.
We are informed that Obama is the best of FDR, Kennedy and, of course, Lincoln (he read that Doris Kearns Goodwin book, you know . . . and, like, he’s from Illinois and . . . well, tall). He is a man of ideas and of books and wondrous words. He is stylish, hip, cool, collected, determined, ambitious (but humble, of course), a great and kind dad, a perfect modern husband, a powerful speaker, and an elegant writer. I’m sure he has other powers too . . . but I’m only a mortal so my memory fails. If Obama were a woman, I guess he’d be a Barbie (post-feminism, of course). All of which is to say that this myth cannot be real and that the reporting is getting beyond giddy and partisan and is now little more than precious. Everyone on the Obama trail has got a tingle going up his leg these days. Enjoy the honeymoon, boys. I think the marriage is going to be just a bit more rocky than rockin’.
On the inauguration tickets and just how desperate some people seem to be to get them: I actually had someone ask ME if I might be able to get them one!
Americana is just "myths"? I'm surprised to see that from you, Julie.
Nothing like the Reagan-mythology on display at the republican presidential debates. But Mrs. Ponzi's mytho-consciousness would see criticism of Reagan as the tearing down of 'true' Americana.
Yea, but at least Reagan's accomplishments were a matter of record (agree with them or not). Obama is a less-that-one-term Senator with virtually no track record (other than hanging with terrorists and communists), and yet he is already being lauded as a world-saver. I welcome those expectations...given that he is black and is thus innoculated from real criticism, his fall needs to be from a great height for our ignorant populace to understand that "change" is easier said than done.
"Nothing like the Reagan-mythology on display at the republican presidential debates. But Mrs. Ponzi's mytho-consciousness would see criticism of Reagan as the tearing down of 'true' Americana."
ren-
Are you comparing republican presidential candidates speaking about President Reagan (one of their own) to Julie's observation of how the press is idolizing the President-Elect?
Um, okay.
ren, your comments are tired and predictable.
Julie: You forgot that HE is going to help pay for everyone's mortgage and put gas in everyone's car. Kevin: Ren is a Gem. Don't discourage him from posting - he just reminds us why we don't have the mental disease called liberalism.....
The transition could be a lot worse. Think of FDR and Hoover . . . Those guys hated each other . . .
And, actually, I'm almost positive the media wish this transition was worse . . .
“Those who control the past, control the future: who controls the present controls the past” Orwell, 1984.
You should really start appealing to Huxley instead of Orwell for your predictions. I think a typical American response today might be a nice, Huxleian "who cares - I'm watching TV".
They would say how dare you interupt my focus during michigan week. There in lies the problem. The proles, to use another orwellian term, have got to be woken up. I refuse to believe that there is an inherent difference between you and I and "most Americans." Part of getting away with this was dumbing the people down and who is going to argue that the current public education system does anything but that. Hope lies with the Proles.
Well, here's hoping.
Don't get me started Brutus, I am still upset that I have expended the time and effort required to maintain a gloomy perspective...If only I could say how dare you upset my focus during michigan week...I would be a happier buckeye.
Yo Julie, can you get me tickets to the Oklahoma Texas Tech game in Norman OK? I wouldn't ask you but I mean this is a red state match up, and well I figure that in a state where even the youth voted for McCain...
John, I'm beginning to see just how useless all of my "connections" are! Sorry. But I can certainly score you some front row seats at the 4th grade Christmas production . . . for a price, of course. I might have to master jiu jitsu in order to get those suckers . . . but don't put it past me.
Wow. I'm starting to feel like I butted in to a private conversation. No matter. It was fun anyway. Having said that, speaking as someone from Union-controlled blue country, I wouldn't get too excited about Michigan week. Northwestern is a more worthy opponent this year.
Ohio will never take that state up north for granted. As for the here's hoping: That is the problem. We have to do something that goes further than waxing philosophical amongst ourselves all day long. If we all just try to educate a few people here and there on Orwell, Huxely or anyone who wrote about the problems of totalitarianism, give them 1984 or Brave New Word ect then things can get better. Good change is not going to come from the top, but from a million people doing a million different small things. Some of the comments I have seen on here about Obama's appointments are making me laugh. Did you expect the cabnet to include the NAACP and Acorn. They are CRR people and nothing is going to change except that we will probably move faster to totalitarianism now that we have a fresh face who seems to be immune to criticism.
Here's a smart wish for a rocky transition.
The next few years will be a lot like Rocky 5 for the American people. Swindled out of their money and forced back the streets from with they once pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and out of.