Finding parallels between porn and politics
Lately, my focus has been badly frayed from watching the endless orgy of CNN's political coverage.
Watching CNN, with the self-titles “best political team in America,” is kind of like watching porn, except the politicians and commentators are - if anything - more fake than a six girls and two guys (plus props) group session shot in a zoo cage. In both cases the tans, teeth and tits are all perfect, the clothing expensive, the camera angles numerous and generally unnecessary, the egos and equipment both over-sized. CNN, like porn, has turned something vital and human into a formulaic act, staffed by people who appear capable, covering actors whose value is measured only in terms of how well they dance on screen.
That's the problem with porn and CNN's political coverage: just because the characters look good, and can perform, doesn't mean that the whole enterprise is worthwhile or healthy for the people who're watching. And just as porn can desensitize people, so can bad political coverage reward awful politicians.
This is why I'm no longer able to fathom Republican Presidential candidate John McCain. He says, quite consistently, that radical Islamic fundamentalism will be the greatest challenge of this century. That line is McCain's money shot. With a single phrase he's telling the Christian base of the Republican party that he's certainly aware of another, equally intolerant, religion that's competing for people's souls. With the same stoke, he's pacifying the military industrial complex, because going by recent events, it's only Muslim countries which need to be invaded, pacified, and brought under the gentle guiding hand of US style democracy. There are still many Muslim countries yet to invade, is the suggestion. And in the next breath McCain will swear he's an intelligent fiscal manager. Nevermind the trillions of public tax dollars already spent, and the trillions yet to be spent, battling these ‘crazy Muslims.'
Then there's Hilary Clinton. Fresh off slim primary victories in Ohio and Texas, she gave a rousing speech to supporters last Tuesday night. Having capitalized on Barack Obama's NAFTA slip-up, she then turned around and gave a speech in which she claimed that America could be energy independent. A key provision in NAFTA, in case you weren't aware, is the fact that the US has unlimited access to Canadian fossil fuels. Clinton obviously knows these provisions of NAFTA. Her husband, Bill, was the President who signed the deal into existence. She also knows that the US cannot become energy independent in her lifetime. The lies keep piling up and no one on CNN calls her on them. But the best political team will debate if she's too “shrill” for hours on end.
Both Clinton and Obama had been making comments that they'd tear up NAFTA in order to better serve US citizens. I guess cheap gas and an endless supply of clean Canadian water isn't enough to keep them happy stateside. In murky circumstances, a story came out in the media - the day before the important Ohio and Texas primaries mind you - that Obama had told the Conservatives that he didn't mean what he was saying, that he really wasn't considering big changes in the trade deal. He was just doing his political act, wink, wink. This story is still not fully explained, far as I can tell, and I'm not sure how much of an effect it had on the primaries last Tuesday. CNN, naturally, ignored the incident almost entirely other than mentioning how it would affect each candidate's “momentum.”
So, here we are. Obama, Clinton or McCain will be starring in a four-year fantasy romp starting November 8. CNN will have cameras rolling from now ‘til then, too, catching every thrust, parry, jab and shifting position. Get the kleenex ready.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Watching CNN, with the self-titles “best political team in America,” is kind of like watching porn, except the politicians and commentators are - if anything - more fake than a six girls and two guys (plus props) group session shot in a zoo cage. In both cases the tans, teeth and tits are all perfect, the clothing expensive, the camera angles numerous and generally unnecessary, the egos and equipment both over-sized. CNN, like porn, has turned something vital and human into a formulaic act, staffed by people who appear capable, covering actors whose value is measured only in terms of how well they dance on screen.
That's the problem with porn and CNN's political coverage: just because the characters look good, and can perform, doesn't mean that the whole enterprise is worthwhile or healthy for the people who're watching. And just as porn can desensitize people, so can bad political coverage reward awful politicians.
This is why I'm no longer able to fathom Republican Presidential candidate John McCain. He says, quite consistently, that radical Islamic fundamentalism will be the greatest challenge of this century. That line is McCain's money shot. With a single phrase he's telling the Christian base of the Republican party that he's certainly aware of another, equally intolerant, religion that's competing for people's souls. With the same stoke, he's pacifying the military industrial complex, because going by recent events, it's only Muslim countries which need to be invaded, pacified, and brought under the gentle guiding hand of US style democracy. There are still many Muslim countries yet to invade, is the suggestion. And in the next breath McCain will swear he's an intelligent fiscal manager. Nevermind the trillions of public tax dollars already spent, and the trillions yet to be spent, battling these ‘crazy Muslims.'
Then there's Hilary Clinton. Fresh off slim primary victories in Ohio and Texas, she gave a rousing speech to supporters last Tuesday night. Having capitalized on Barack Obama's NAFTA slip-up, she then turned around and gave a speech in which she claimed that America could be energy independent. A key provision in NAFTA, in case you weren't aware, is the fact that the US has unlimited access to Canadian fossil fuels. Clinton obviously knows these provisions of NAFTA. Her husband, Bill, was the President who signed the deal into existence. She also knows that the US cannot become energy independent in her lifetime. The lies keep piling up and no one on CNN calls her on them. But the best political team will debate if she's too “shrill” for hours on end.
Both Clinton and Obama had been making comments that they'd tear up NAFTA in order to better serve US citizens. I guess cheap gas and an endless supply of clean Canadian water isn't enough to keep them happy stateside. In murky circumstances, a story came out in the media - the day before the important Ohio and Texas primaries mind you - that Obama had told the Conservatives that he didn't mean what he was saying, that he really wasn't considering big changes in the trade deal. He was just doing his political act, wink, wink. This story is still not fully explained, far as I can tell, and I'm not sure how much of an effect it had on the primaries last Tuesday. CNN, naturally, ignored the incident almost entirely other than mentioning how it would affect each candidate's “momentum.”
So, here we are. Obama, Clinton or McCain will be starring in a four-year fantasy romp starting November 8. CNN will have cameras rolling from now ‘til then, too, catching every thrust, parry, jab and shifting position. Get the kleenex ready.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
