Friends of Ron Paul in Japan

Patronizing the Opposition, Loosing the Base

Just when you thought the McCain/Palin ticket couldn’t call its plays any worse…they’ve decided to pal around on the comedy circuit.  Oh yes, we know what they had in mind.  One of the strong points of the ticket is supposed to be the image of “just folks.”   I’m not sure that military brahmin McCain can pass muster as a latter day Sad Sack, but the Governor of Alaska as Little Miss Average certainly was the real thing.  But by going from the butt of prime time comedy to full time participants  they may have finally overplayed the cracker barrel cousin card.

McCain apologized twice on the Letterman program for a previous no show.  Is this supposed to demonstrate his humility?  Any one who thinks so can also be excused for thinking that the momentary suspension of his political campaign had any effect on America’s economic debacle.   As far as Palin’s humiliating appearance on Saturday Night Live is concerned, the less said the better.

Pehaps some people in their respective staffs remembered (giving them more credit for acuity than they probably deserve) the gracious and enjoyable appearace of Rep. Ron Paul on Comedy Central.  If so, the analogy was a mistaken one.  Comedy Central was sympathetic to the Good Doctor from the outset, and Paul’s genuine (not feigned) humility showed through in its usual light handed way.  If there is a lesson to be learned here, and from Palin’s appearance on SNL in particular, it should be phrased as a general political rule: Don’t accept invitations from media where the chief intention is to humiliate your candidate.  Of course Palin’s handler’s cant understand the distinction between a journalistic interview where their candidate might disgrace herself unintentionally and intentional degradation.  That sort of thing is painful to watch.

And have not doubt about this: the base is sure to be offended too.  The crackerbarrel cousin set has a fine nose for the distinction between “just josh’n” and being made a fool of.  The SNL skit was of the latter ilk.

There are only two candidates major or minor who have the gravitas which contemporary Americans crave…no matter how much they may claim to love their MTV: Barry Obama and Chuck Baldwin.  On various grounds I prefer the latter.

Barr?  No gravitas there I’m afraid.   Nader?  Perhaps humorous in the sense of another SNL spinoff: ”Groundhog Day.”