If this presidential election was a film-script it would be rejected for containing too many unbelievable elements.
The characters are over-the-top, and the background scenario's too complexly fantastic to be true.
Consider the major players:
Aging semi-articulate, multi-millionaire, senior senator, alleged political maverick, torture-survivor, war-hero - with an ex-beauty queen Alaskan Governor VP running mate, who loves moose stew (or is it moose-burgers?), ice-hockey and hunting - with 5 kids (names: Bristol, Piper, Track, Willow, and
Trig) including a recent Down's syndrome baby, whose part-Eskimo husband, is snowmobile world champion
.... and the youthful, half-Kenyan with white mother, extremely articulate African-American political novice - with a grizzled combative VP
running mate, best known for serial plagiarism
...and the context?
- Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
-Aggressive Russian resurgence
- Middle-East tension rising as Iran moves nuclear
- World economy in turmoil - oil and food prices rocketing
...with Dubya Bush, and his grey eminence Cheney hovering in the background
....you really couldn't make all this up - it's riveting, as well as being terrifying!
Who do I want to win?
Would McCain be a Bush repeat?
Would Obama be a Blair repeat (all appearance and no substance)?
Much depends on what you believe about them - with distorted reporting pro-Obama from CNN, and pro-McCain from the Fox channel, (the two US channels available to me by satellite) it's very hard to know the truth.
Neither are without flaws (candidates AND news channels) - and since - as a UK citizen I won't be voting - my preference is purely academic.
For now the drama and uncertainty of it all is exciting, and the debates between the candidates - as well as between the potential VPs - should be pure theater......
and since it has been said that 'we get the leaders we deserve' ......
- HEAVEN HELP US!!
No comments:
Post a Comment