indi.ca

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Was watching the Daily Show and saw two very, very intelligent interviews. One was with Peggy Noonan, commentator and speech writer for Reagan. And a very good writer btw, always like her stuff in the Journal. Plus her cartoon headshot was dated and she still looked kinda hot. The most interesting character in any of those interview is Jon Stewart. He’s very interesting because he’s always said that his comedy comes from a place of great anger and rage, which you can’t really tell. He always manages to distill it into a general WTF. But in this interview he bemoaned the state quite eloquently, and Noonan defended its fundamental essence with some pretty good words. After all the crap from Bush and Palin that words and language don’t matter, it’s nice to experience that they do.

Jon Stewart’s point was that politicians have been practicing this bullshit politics, and when is it going to stop (especially if it works). As in, we are at this epic time as human beings and the major issue is whether small towns are better than big cities, or whether one candidate eats arugala or wears expensive loafers. Like, seriously. And the whole Palin show is downright terrifying as the US teeters on an economic and military knife’s edge. Like, you’ve got this woman winking at me on TV? Are you fucking kidding me?

Noonan of course doesn’t curse, and it’s funny when Jon Stewart does in front of her. You can tell she’s a speechwriter from her tone, and from the fact that some of her prose really does soar.

Stewart: Is it going to get better, because this whole thing is making me very upset.

Noonan: I’m hoping this economic thing is going to break this thing out of the stupid rut it’s in. Maybe each of these men, who are good men, will come forward and be their best selves and make this campaign serious. Remind us of who were are as a nation. Very great people. In a bit of a fix at the moment, but never bet against us.

And if the American do elect Obama they would suddenly turn this whole thing around. Because he is a serious adult, and he’s running a serious campaign. His policy is detailed, he doesn’t lie, and in terms of campaigning, his strategy has got it’s head out of the toxic news cycle and is focused on field offices, canvassing and registering new voters. He is also using technology (and has in the Senate with that public finances thing) to connect and empower people in that democracy, which I think would carry over to his administration.

And that’s why I think Obama’s promise of new politics is true. He has fought an exceptionally clean campaign. Exaggerations and policy and statistical skull-skulduggery, but nothing along the lines of accusing the opponent of sympathizing with terrorists or teaching sex education to kindergartners. I have seen serious statements coming out of the McCain campaign that state “Does a guy who worries about the price of arugula and thinks regular people “cling” to guns and religion in the face of economic hardship really want to have a debate about who’s in touch with regular Americans?” Like WTF?!?! At this point in history, we’re arguing about lettuce?

This was in response to Obama hitting McCain about not knowing how many houses he owns (I think a bit less irrelevant than lettuce, especially during a housing crisis, but not that relevant, really). So Obama’s no saint, but he’s no Rovian either. I mean, McCain’s campaign now even makes Rove blink. I mean, he can’t get out of Bush’s shadow and in fear he’s just receded further into the darkness. It’s sad to see, and his favorables are dropping like a stone.

Anyways, I think that George Bush has fucked up everything, including the very language we use and I cannot wait for Barack Obama to change it. To quote Stewart, in response to the economic crisis, ‘He seems like a guy, it’s his senior year of college, and he’s been playing ultimate frisbee all week.’