I told myself I wasn't going to do political rants anymore but that was before last week's endorsement of Donald Trump by America's own Poet Laureate.
Saturday Night Live and the nation's top pundits have already dissected her rootin' tootin' ramble, so I'm not going to attempt to top them.
I will say that watching Sarah speak is not unlike watching those crazy Russian dashboard videos.
You never know what's coming.
And when it does, you can only drop your jaw in amazement.
That Holy Shit reaction is not just about Palin, but the complete unraveling of the Republican Party.
I have no allegiance to either side of the aisle. And to be honest, some days I'm more conservative and some days I'm more liberal. I like to believe I can entertain two competing lines of thought at the same time. And so I have no dog in the fight. But with regards to this year's current crop of Republican presidential candidates, I can only say, "Is this the best you've got?'
Moreover, I'm left wondering about the people actually running the GOP.
These are folks with years of strategic experience. Experts who should know how to mend the rift between the tea party contingent and the more "progressive" wing -- if that even exists anymore.
Look, 270 votes from the electoral college are not going to be easy to come by. Particularly when trotting out a nonstop diet of hate, intolerance, and religious bigotry. Sarah Palin's nice rack, notwithstanding.
Seems to me they'd want to be opening the doors to the tent not sewing them shut with thread made out of kevlar. Where are the sensible Republicans like John Huntsman? Goldwater? Or even Eisenhower?
I'll never forget a pivotal point in my advertising career.
Hunkered down in The Fish at the old Chiat/Day Warehouse (the best of all the Chiat/Day buildings), I had the opportunity to watch Lee Clow and Bob Kuperman discuss the strategy for an upcoming pitch. After meandering through a bunch of pointless executions, Bob wisely told the entire creative department (and the planners) to step back. He asked us to take a breath and ask ourselves:
"What is it we need to do to win this piece of new business?"
Maybe that wasn't a revelation for others, but it was for me. Because it necessitated more than just cranking out a funny spot or clever headline. It required an honest assessment of the situation and a collective shift in our POV.
Winning the White House is not the same as winning the Bounty Paper Towel account from Proctor & Gamble. However, it might be a good idea for Rance Priebus and his cronies at the RNC to take a good long look at their current contenders including: a doctor who believes the Earth is 6000 years old, a Harvard graduate who believes the Bible trumps the Constitution and a hip-talking gasbag who is as unfamiliar with the Nuclear Triad as he is with a decent barber.
The Republicans need to do themselves a favor, step back for a moment, and ask themselves:
"What is it we need to do to win this election?"
The entire field on both sides is a laugh fest. And while I believe them to be more qualified than the Republicans (with the possible exception of Kasich), let's not forget the Democrats:
ReplyDelete1. A candidate who may very well be indicted before the general election, and is so thoroughly unlikable that she's having a difficult time defeating a socialist, and
2. A socialist.
I think the real question both sides need to ask themselves is: Which one of us can lure Bloomberg over to our side?
You say socialist like it's a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding of Bernie's socialism is perhaps different than yours.
Single payer healthcare for all, that's a good idea.
Free college tuition for those who want a higher education, that's a good idea.
A reduction in our military spending and a commitment to rebuild the country's infrastructure, also a good idea.
At least Bernie is talking about ideas and not slinging shit about birth certificates, "homosexual agendas" and the mysterious attack on Christianity or religious liberties.
Bernie is not a pure socialist. The ownership of major industries will still be by corporations, not the government. He wants to socialize some key institution as Rich points out and I agree with Rich--that's a good thing compared to how things are now. However, he'll have a very difficult time reaching across the aisle. Very difficult. Love his ideas, not sure of his effectiveness.
ReplyDeleteThis Round Seventeens captures my sentiment about the conservative side--what a joke. (But do agree Kasich isn't as obviously terrible.)
Nicely said Rich.