February 2, 2008
I've caught this viral video and must convey it to you.
YouTube is doing something to us. I'm not endorsing any candidate, but I've got to say this production is some amazing, low-key brilliance. It's lovely in so many ways, one of which is that it makes Barack Obama seem to be a man whose mere speech is singing.
ADDED: I've rewatched this video and am just stunned by it — especially the way will.i.am sings along with Obama's speechifying. I've never seen speech and singing combined like that. It's very cool. I love the way it is so grand, yet simultaneously seems perfectly casual and offhanded. And they've packed a tremendous amount of feminine beauty into it without it seeming forced — like Scarlett Johannson just happened to drop by and some unplanned thing made her smile like that.
Some folks in the comments are saying "yes we can... what?" And this, of course, is the usual criticism of Obama, which is not undeserved. But the video doesn't try to do everything. It creates a mood and reaches us emotionally. Now, the most evil political movement in the world could operate that way too, so it's our responsibility to put some analysis into our choices. But that doesn't take anything away from this historically great video.
By the way, I heard a bit of a Hillary rally today on the car radio. She seemed to be rousing the crowd rather well, talking about health care for everyone, to be achieved by fighting the drug companies and insurance companies. (Why must they be fought?) Then the crowd began chanting. The chant: "Yes we can."
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114 comments:
Goosebumps! If it feels good then it must be Right.
I'm not buying an iMac.
I'm voting for the next President of the United States of America.
About the time Sen. Obama was smoking his first joint, Sen. McCain was released from five-and-one-half years of captivity and torture in a prisoner of war camp.
Sorry if I'm harshing anyone's mellow, but the choice is clear, the future too dangerous to be trusted to someone who's a pretty voice in an empty suit.
Today is Saturday. Commenters are sleeping in. It's the shopping day. Errands to run. Primping for tonight's date.
Can't you see that?, no matter how many types of different posts you do, commenters are too busy to comment !!!!
(Irony is lost on Maxine.)
That was a fantastic video. Scarlet Johansen (sp?) sure is pretty.
I can see why people like Obama. I still don't see why people want to vote for him.
Yes we can .... what?
Change to .... what?
Vote ..... for what?
If Obama wins the nomination, and especially the election, I suspect that his supporters will start to realize that they weren't all completing his political mad lib with the same words.
Uh-oh, nobody's commented on "Faces seen last weekend in Austin" .
Readers had better start commenting on that particular post, lest Althouse stops taking her camera into stores in which she has no intention of buying anything.
Not me Maxine. Despite my mad, hectic, to die for life, I'm posting.
Yes we can = Si, se puede. Methinks the Obama campaign is doing everything it can to stroke Hispanics, who, if Rasmussen is to be believed, are lining up 3 to 1 behind Hillary, in California.
What's behind the mask? Any guesses?
He says he wants to reach out, to transcend partisan differences.
Yet his biggest supporters apparently wish to draw-and-quarter most Republicans (they'll leave a few as a warning to future generations).
Eventually, we're going to find out. The question is: will it be before he's elected or after?
Well, that was nauseating. What a phony. Or was I supposed to react by saying, Obama is like a God to me? Sorry, I have never found salesmen charming.
"I've caught this viral video"
That's why you should always use a rubber, even when you are just on the computer.
Moving but too long at four minutes. Half that length would be good.
I agree, it's a bit like a Mac commercial. Perhaps that explains Professor Althouse's receptivity to the ad?
It seems that many of us have an immunity to this particular virus.
I think Maxine has caught Althouse-envy. And that Sippican guy is kinda silly don't you think. These posts are written on the wind, nobody give a good shit one way or another. There are alot more important things going on.
THE GIANTS ARE IN THE SUPERBOWL!!!!
Wow. I wonder how fatuous/gullible/stupid/influenced by(fatuous, gullible, stupid) celebrities the American people really are.
I guess we're going to find out.
Yes, we can.
Yes, but who is "we", what is "can"?
And what if "we" can't.
How can you run against Obama?
If you pull the mask down and force him to reveal his real agenda, you'll end up, in effect, telling the public there isn't a Santa Claus. You'll destroy the inchoate hopes they have that are manifested in a Obama Presidency.
The recriminations for that candidate - and his Party - will be enormous.
"About the time Sen. Obama was smoking his first joint, Sen. McCain was released from five-and-one-half years of captivity and torture in a prisoner of war camp."
On the other hand, about the time Sen. Obama was smoking his last joint, McCain was proposing to his 2nd wife while still married to his first wife, whom he'd been cheating on with various other women for several years.
Neither of these facts is important. At all. However, if you must judge, there's simply no question that McCain's indiscretions are far worse than Obama's. It should also be acknowledged that Obama came clean about his drug use, which can't be said of McCain.
Let's just stick to the issues.
"YouTube is doing something to us."
What an utterly banal statement. So much for the famous Althouse fear of saying something boring!
I guess the fear does not extend to idiocy.
If Obama can overcome the Clinton corruption machine and arkancide, he will win the nomination and the election.
The American people will vote for someone likeable every time over people who are not likeable. There is no one else running for President who is likeable, except perhaps Romney, and he's more bland than likeable.
As for those wonder what "yes we can" means, Obama has been very clear that he is a hard core socialist communist, slightly more on the idealistic side than on the manipulative side that Clinton is on. It's quite scary to contemplate that we really lost the cold war after all.
But with McCain and Romney, you have simply the low cal socialsts.
The election is far from over, but it's getting predictable. Obama is selling himself quite well as a man we all wouldn't mind having over to dinner even if we think he's a crackpot on his politics.
It's actually racist.
If he were a white guy, nobody would give him two minutes on stage.
But a black guy is cute, and he's playing on that racism.
Wow rh, you find black guys cute. I thought you only liked dogs. It's amazing what you can learn on the internets.
I'm voting for Obama Tuesday and rooting for the Pats tomorrow. If it's Clinton v McCain in the general election, this Democrat's voting for McCain.
Secular--
As you suggest, let's stick to issues...
McCain's far more a centrist than Obama, who was just ranked the Senate's most liberal member. Therefore, McCain should be more electable. Right?
I'd trust McCain more in terms of foreign policy leadership. Surely, you would give him the edge with regard to his understanding of military matters. For example, it was Obama, not McCain, who recently suggested that we attack al-Qaeda in Pakistan, with or without Musharraf's permission. Sounds like Obama would climb a mighty sharp learning curve. Hope his education doesn't cost too many lives. I'm not willing to take that gamble.
Other foreign policy experience? Obama chairs the Senate subcommittee on European affairs. But he's never been to Europe, and he's never held a meeting of his committee. I'm guessing that Sen. McCain has probably been to Europe.
On energy, McCain's against ethanol. Obama supported a huge mega-billion bill that incentivized agribusiness to shift corn acreage away from food production to fuel. Result? Price of food's gone up. Hurts poor people, particularly in the Third World. Plus, ethanol's a boondoggle. Takes more energy to grow the corn than the energy you get out of it.
You refer to McCain's and drugs....pls explain....
Question: Why specifically do you support Sen. Obama? Which of his positions most appeals to you?
I consider each of the remaining candidates to be poor options, and I don't "support" any of them. I just find it hilarious how much the religious right hates marijuana, but doesn't seem to mind marital infidelity. Regardless of who I vote for (or whether I vote at all), personal issues like these should have no place in a presidential campaign.
Also, anyone who considers any of the democratic candidates to be socialists or communists is simply ignorant. Please do some reading, at the very least enough to understand the definitions of those terms. Afterwards, if you still consider any democrat to be socialist, realize that all republicans are socialist as well.
Cult of Personality-ish.
If I lived in a Super Tuesday state, I'd for Barack (that's what the kids all call him) on Tuesday primarily because then I might then have the pleasure of voting against the Clintons twice. I don't hate the Clintons, I just don't want them to be president again. Eight years was enough.
I don't hate the New England Patriots either - hell, I don't even know them - but I'm rooting for the Giants on Super Sunday anyway because, if I'm not mistaken, their quarterback is Trooper York.
Sec--
You may be interested in this...
....But his misconduct in Jacksonville is relevant to McCain's subsequent political campaign. Those extra-marital "dalliances" reflect faulty judgment and poor choices, traits that have been evident in the Senator's subsequent legislative record. Anyone remember the Keating 5? McCain-Feingold? McCain-Leiberman? McCain-Kennedy? Voting against the Bush tax cuts on more than one occasion? Blocking conservative judicial nominees as part of the "Gang of Fourteen?...
Glittering Generalities
http://dustbun.blogspot.com/2008/01/glittering-generalities.html
Unfortunately many people have never been educated in the art of critical listening
Barack appears to have the most enthusiastic supporters. Even amongst the Hollywood types.
Excuse me? The "Clean Negro" is just another one of their slaves.
A Muse. A curiosity. Take a look at the pictures of "Clean Negro" with Ted Kennedy. It's like the Kennedy's have a new butler. Hey, if things don't pan out in the election, I'm sure the Kennedys have room at their compound for a new House Slave, and that's all Mr. "Clean Negro" is to them.
He's their "Boy", whether he's their Boy in Washington, or he's their Boy on their plantation......
What other possible use could there be for "Clean Negro" ???
Love,
Maxine
I read that Barack and some 25 year old write the speeches together. I forgot the guys name but he worked for John Kerry.
Whatever you say about the obama campaign, the words are poetry.
Hey, isn't Oprah welcome, anytime she wants at the Kennedy compound.
They love having these Negroes around. And, with Oprah, they've got their own personal Aunt Jemima, because you can bet that's all she represents to them !
Love those Kennedys !!!
Fondly,
Maxine
The Kennedys never met a Negro they didn't like, especially one handy with a spatula and willing to oversee the barbeque.
Love,
Maxine
Why is Maxine ranting about Sippican? What did I miss?
Who is this ``us'' that it reaches emotionally?
I'd say guys are insufficiently interested in that direction so that it has the opposite effect : What is this crap?
This thread makes me wonder, just idle thought, that's all -- how might the tenor of this blog change, especially in the comments section, should Ann throw in with a Democrat this election?
Back in the early nineties there was a film called Bob Roberts that starred Tim Robbins. I wish I could remember it better but it was about a politician who used the media and music to propel himself to some higher elective office. The one thing I remember for sure is that we were not supposed to feel good about the manipulation of the public who ended up voting the guy into office.
I find this video disturbing because, for heavens sake, this election is for President of the United States and Commander in Chief of our military. I don't want the importance of our selection to be diminished by who's hip and who's cool among a candidate's supporters.
And since this thread is all over the place -- Go Giants! Eli's Coming...
The whole Eli Manning/Eli's Coming connection sent me to the iPod to enjoy some Laura Nyro. What a great song, and what a great songwriter.
And I like this video; I echo Ann's comments on the thing itself, of the marriage of speech and rhythm, of sound and image, of faces and emotions. It's riveting.
maxine, shut up
You don't believe me? Every single one of their house staff on the Vineyard is a Darkie.
Early on, Ethel thought Oprah was there to serve hors'deurves.
"It creates a mood and reaches us emotionally."
A perfect summation of the problem of modern politics. What's Obama's platform? Who cares! He's cool!
"Now, the most evil political movement in the world could operate that way too..."
See Riefenstahl, Leni
"But that doesn't take anything away from this historically great video."
You're right!
But it's not a reason to vote for someone.
"how might the tenor of this blog change, especially in the comments section, should Ann throw in with a Democrat this election?"
For the better, hopefully.
Isn't "Yes We Can" a Melissa Etheridge record?
Althouse, have you noticed that Maxine's ruining the comments section again? Or at least trying to.
Citizens of Althouse demand action!
I'm not sure why Hillary feels the need to fight drug companies. But I doubt she'd bring it up if it didn't resonate with her audience. Maybe--if the movie Idiocracy is correct--drug companies spend too much time developing drugs for erectile disfunction and hair loss. If that's the reason then I agree with her. We need more anti-aging, anti-fat, and mind altering drugs.
The video is beautiful and moving. In the back of my mind though was Leni Riefenstahl. I like Obama and am sure he is the furthest thing from evil.
My point is that this is the first time since the time of Leni Riefenstahl that political propaganda has been done so movingly and artistically. It took a while, but last time the results of it really were, less than pleasant.
Every time I think that Maxine couldn't possible get any worse, she comes up with something even more offensive.
But what's even more horrifying is that Ann Althouse allows someone like Maxine on this blog and gives her carte blanche to say every little sick and depraved thing that pops into that lunatic's head !
Ann----until you ban Maxine for good, I will not return to this blog.
I'm sorry.
Suzette
Wow. Comparing an ad done by some Hollywood types to Nazi propaganda.
I realize the "Barack Obama never talks about the issues" meme has been a distinct narrative for several months. I had hoped that the California debate may have tempered it but apparently not.
Vorsicht!
we can we can we can
3 Xs too fast starts to sound like weaken.
I live in a part of the country where we don't annunciate clearly. Hoosier.
THEY ARE ALL TURNING TO BE AN ADULT "BOB THE BUILDER"...
ONLY THE LAZY AND FOOL CAN BE INSPIRED BY THESE NONSENSE!
THE CHANGE START WITH OURSELF NOT GOVERNMENT AND CERTAINLY NOT A POLITICIAN RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.
CHANGE CAN ONLY BEGIN WHEN WE TURN OUR "CAPS LOCK" OFF.
Oh, c'mon Suzette, lighten up. (no pun)
Can't you take a joke?
I mean, it's not as if I'm calling for Mr. "Clean Negro" to be assassinated, at least not immedately.
Although, if the assassination occurs sometime before the convention, it will certainly make it easier to "tidy" up before election time.
Love,
Maxine
'"Yes we can" what?' many ask here.
"Yes we can" do many things. One of them being...yes, we can move so far ahead of the tedious Althouse and her tedious minions that we don't even hear their wretched, narcissitic, anti-human nonsense any more.
So that's something. So long!
Well, this just clearly illustrates the point I've been making for years. will.i.am should never have so much as shared a stage with Fergie.
You say you got a real solution
Well you know
We'd all love to see the plan
I agree with Suzette, Palladian and the others. I think Maxine's conduct has gone way over the line, and completely crossed the boundaries of good taste and decency for awhile now.
I'm offended, not just as a woman, but as a member of the human race.
It's shocking that someone as responsible as Prof. Ann Althouse would display someone like Maxine, and offer up such a vile individual, as a frequent commenter on this blog.
Clearly, Maxine has no other talent other than the ability to parade her filth across the Internet on a daily basis.
I'm not coming back to the Althouse Blog until Althouse bans Maxine forever, and deletes all her malicious comments.
Beverly
"Back in the early nineties there was a film called Bob Roberts that starred Tim Robbins. I wish I could remember it better but it was about a politician who used the media and music to propel himself to some higher elective office...."
Back in the mid thirties there was a film called Triumph of the Will....
what was the song from the band Chicago. in the 70s
We can make it happen.
maybe that is the what? But my advice is usually not sound. I, too, am a person that receives emails stating that my comments have caused forums participants to pack up and leave because of my arrival.
Do people judge as quickly as they speak? His opposition will. And I like the man.
Beth: "This thread makes me wonder, just idle thought, that's all -- how might the tenor of this blog change, especially in the comments section, should Ann throw in with a Democrat this election?"
Many times have I quoted the old line liberals are looking for heretics/conservatives are looking for converts. I've felt the warmth of the convert-seekers. But it's starting to look as though there's an expiration date on that.
The problem is when Prof. Althouse promotes, fosters, and encourages someone as craven and reprobate as Maxine, and allows such an individual to completely hijack this blog with her reprehensible antics....
The whole thing is morally repugnant, and Prof. Althouse ought to be ashamed.
Maxine, of course, has no shame, but I certainly expected more from the good Professor.
I'm disgusted and will never return here.
Look, I agree that Maxine needs to make more of an effort to play well with others, but you need to realize that there's no mechanism in Blogger to ban someone and it's hard to delete a lot o posts. But I will delete some to make the point that Maxine is going off topic too much, that she shouldn't write about specific private individuals, and that she is posting too much.
I certainly think mrs. delores elleberry is Maxine.
Geez, people! Have any of you ever been involved in community organizing? Taught a seminar? Raised children? Led a board meeting? This chatter about Obama not standing for anything rings hollow to me.
There is more than one way to lead. One way might be to list bulletin points of what needs doing, and then promise to get each one done, regardless of the fact that, as chief executive, the President's agenda is largely dependent on Congress.
But another leadership style, which Obama long ago embraced, involves: (1) listening to those your constituents; (2)engaging in a dialog to shape their concerns into motivations; while (3) working to transform unhelpful complaints into thoughtful responses, which usually involve the acceptance of one's own responsibility for working to achieve whatever goal.
True, Obama is a gifted speaker and politician who makes us feel good about ourselves and his candidacy. But it's disingenuous to say his lofty rhetoric is indicative of deficiencies in policy, or a shallow intellect. Rather, Obama believes that a good community organizer/teacher/parent/CEO/Presidential candidate should actually listen and respond to the community members/students/children/Board of Directors/citizens he or she is trying to organize/teach/raise/motivate/inspire. A good leader must be open to the best new ideas, and be willing to run with them. This allows him or her to fight apathy and complacency, while teaching the importance of self-reliance. I'd think more limited-government-style conservatives would be on board with this.
As someone whose background is in music more than politics, I'm sure I've allowed plenty of room to poke holes in my argument. But I'm also more inclined to appreciate those moments in history when the power held by a great (in this case, rhetorical) artist becomes clear. I agree with you all that (especially the best) political rhetoric begs scrutiny. I've scrutinized, and Obama's passed with flying colors.
Yep, that's me, creating fake identities so I can give myself a good public excoriation.
I just love to scold myself.
Did you ever see the video where Fergie is singing with the Black Eyed Peas and wearing a tight spandex beige pair of capri's and she's singing her little heart out so strongly that she pees herself. That's hot.
Of course, Maxine gets so excited while posting here that she pees in her old lady bloomers. Hot. Not so much.
But another leadership style, which Obama long ago embraced, involves: (1) listening to those your constituents; (2)engaging in a dialog to shape their concerns into motivations; while (3) working to transform unhelpful complaints into thoughtful responses, which usually involve the acceptance of one's own responsibility for working to achieve whatever goal.
It was bad anough when people were comparing Obama to the Nazis. But I'm not going to sit idly by and watch you compare him to a conductor of management seminars. Sir, have you no decency at all?
It won't be so bad watching Tyler Perry's White House on CNN.
Whether you agree with his politics or not, anyone who thinks Obama is just a fancy speaker with no specifics is not paying attention.
Just listen to an extended interview - not one of the "debates" - but one where they have a chance to really dig into the issues. He gives very detailed responses on a wide range of topics and includes lots of specifics.
Regardless of your place in the political spectrum, it's too bad that our campaign system relies mostly on TV spots, staged media events, and political analysis from a bunch of cable networks whose primary focus is on the latest overblown flaps and supposed gaffes. It does not serve our country well.
"It was bad anough when people were comparing Obama to the Nazis. But I'm not going to sit idly by and watch you compare him to a conductor of management seminars. Sir, have you no decency at all?"
Well that's better than having a sitting President bring in a motivational guru to help manage his or her life. Like Bill Clinton when he reached out to Tony Robbins for help. Heh.
Forget it, Greg. It's Althouse.
I also thought of Leni Riefenstahl. You could almost see the images of Obama's brown shirts coming into focus - yes we can.
Obama promises that he will solve all our problems. I would like to see him in a debate with Bill Cosby.
Paul said, "It was bad anough when people were comparing Obama to the Nazis. But I'm not going to sit idly by and watch you compare him to a conductor of management seminars. Sir, have you no decency at all?"
Lol. I admire your conviction, but please soften your tone. Some of my best friends happen to be management seminar conductors.
Glenn Kenny said, "Forget it, Greg. It's Althouse."
Hmmmm .... I think I read your tone, but I'm not clear what you mean. Am I that off-base here? Granted, I've read Ann's blog for far longer than I've commented on it, but I've never sensed that she (like the large majority of the blog's commenters) is anything but open to differences of opinion. That's why I'm here, as opposed to the many blogs where everyone's supposed to agree. So, I ask, forget *what* exactly?
Finally, Ann admires the artistry of the video: "I love the way it is so grand, yet simultaneously seems perfectly casual and offhanded."
I'm wondering if anyone would disagree with me that this video is a marked improvement over, say, what people tolerated 56 years ago? I'm talking about aesthetics, not technological developments.
I'm thinking specifically of a direct comparison of the video in question to:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=va5Btg4kkUE
From an artistic/aesthetic point of view, don't these two examples ("Ike for President" from 1952 and "Yes We Can" from 2008) demolish the central tenets of the Bill Bennetts and Allan Blooms, or whichever conservative cultural critics might still be fretting over our cultural "decline" or "decay"? Or have these guys come to hear the racist undertones that underlay their claims?
It's brilliant. If I were young, it would make me thrill and cry and vote.
But I'm not, so I find it very stylish, touching at moments and a little embarrassing.
But if it gets young people to vote, and to feel it's not just a bunch of cynical old farts running the country, keeping things the same way in a self-fulfilling prophecy? I'm inclined to let the young people make their mistake, if that's what it is. I'm not so sure. I think Obama is a real unknown, even to himself. What he would actually do as president is a mystery at this point. He is intelligent, he's not evil, and he's capable of pragmatism (to a fault, e.g. ethanol -- bringing home the veggie pork for Illinois). I would be willing to gamble on him. Him or McCain.
I am surprised that even sober Ann Althouse is affected by this fascist video. For those of you too busy condemning Jonal Goldberg and his book "Liberal Fascism," I submit Exhibit A. The whole intent of the video is to present Barrack Obama, a mere politician, as a TRANSFORMATIVE figure, who can at last give our pathetic lives MEANING. We see the same belief and faith in St. Obama, a Cook County, Illinois politican, as was once invested in Hitler -- the belief that life only has meaning with him, the wise and poetic leader. You do not need someone ranting in a foreign language or massed ranks marching, flags flying, men in fancy uniforms strutting, you only need this: the belief that someone else -- our leader -- gives our lives meaning. His slogan, "Yes We Can," becomes dominant, pushing out all rational thought. We are not to think; we are only to BELIEVE. I am a Republican, but I will vote for Hillary, if I can, because she is NOT transformative (except to 60-year-old spinster teachers). Her lies are transparent. She really is Nixon in a pantsuit. Nixon had the decency to sweat whenever he lied; Hillary just tries to be extra sincere, like her "crying moment" in New Hampshire. Only the rubes are fooled. But Obama is something else: a seemingly transformative figure that people WANT to BELIEVE in. He can ride this to power if he is careful. But it is still a denial of our faculties in favor of the "leadership principle." This video is not touching or "deep" or facsinating -- it is frightening. Has everyone taken leave of his senses?
Leni Riefenstahl.
Shadow, give me an example of an issue where Obama does not take the doctrinaire liberal position.
Well he roots for the White Sox, and all the liberal commie yuppies are Cub fans.
You know you can buy a chick a few drinks and take her out to dinner a few times and listen to her yak about her stupid opinions and such, but eventually you have to close the deal. Otherwise you are wasting your time. So there comes a time where it's put out or shut up.
I think the video is well done, but not particularly moving. I agree with amba, "if I were young, it would make me thrill and cry and vote.
But I'm not, so I find it very stylish, touching at moments and a little embarrassing."
The aesthetization of politics is now complete. The video has no substance, unless you believe America is so awful a place only socialism can cure it. I do think all those young supporters are too enthralled to even care.
Suzette is most definitely Maxine. Maxine has accidentally posted as Suzette before. Mrs. Delores Elleberry certainly seems to be Maxine. Beverly probably is as well.
"Triumph of the Will"
"Leni Riefenstahl"
Come on, people, please! Let's get real. The only thing this video has in common with Triumph of the Will is that they are both superb artistic works of propaganda.
"Come on, people, please! Let's get real. The only thing this video has in common with Triumph of the Will is that they are both superb artistic works of propaganda."
Well obviously. I don't think anyone but a complete idiot or a liar would deduce that I was comparing Senator Obama with Hitler. Of course, there are a lot of complete idiots and liars about, aren't there?
"Triumph of the Will" is actually the title of the sex video starring George Will and K-Lo that is all over the internets. It seems that someone fed them roofies during the Christmas party. They thought they were only going to xerox their butts, but they got their freak flag on. It's not pretty. I never saw someone use a bow tie as an anal necklace before. Kinky.
Ooo. Talk about viral...
Obama did not have the courage to tell the DNC to go to hell and campaign in Michigan, so should we expect much courage from him in the White House?
McCain looks old and tired and Romney looks sleazy-slick. Hillary cannot control her husband.
Wow, are we in trouble.
The only effective prophylactic against the spreading of these video viruses is to disable Adobe Flash on your computer all together.
It may seem extreme, but sometimes these viruses get out of hand, they spread like wildfire, and sap our precious bodily fluids (or workplace productivity, anyway).
Speaking of Dr. Strangelove, go ahead and spread this viral video all you want, trying to morph McCain into Buck Turgidson seems like a really, really bad move.
Come on, people, please! Let's get real. The only thing this video has in common with Triumph of the Will is that they are both superb artistic works of propaganda.
Other than that one little annoying distraction, how did you enjoy the play, Mrs. Lincoln?
The Leni Riefenstahl reference is apt because this video is stylish to the max and is evocative of deeply held emotional stirrings and yearnings, ethnic and cultural, indeed it outright appeals to them. Leni Riefenstahl-ish
Meanwhile, substantively, what is it that Barack is saying that he really stands for? I must have missed that.
Everyone loves Macintosh commercials, but most people buy and use PCs. Not everyone obviously and I don't want to denigrate Apple's fine computer or Senator Obama by comparison.
Will any thinking person allowe this beautiful Hollywood production to determine or change their vote? I hope not. But such is the state of the American people that many Americans will vote as told to if the production values are slick enough.
If we are that shallow, then he should be President.
Great video.
If Hillary is stealing "Yes, we can," that's just as low and classless as it gets.
I went to the Obama rally in St Louis tonight. Very good crowd, young and old, black and white. Good vibes and civility all around, even to the Ron Paul Goons outside, "informing" us about his middle name. As silly as the 'hope' rhetoric can be sometimes, there is certainly something to be said for 20,000 people of truly different religious faiths, classes, and cultural tastes excited about a candidate.
Ann said... "Many times have I quoted the old line liberals are looking for heretics/conservatives are looking for converts. I've felt the warmth of the convert-seekers. But it's starting to look as though there's an expiration date on that."
Us Georgists and us anarchists are still looking for converts, and still have plenty of warm-fuzzies to throw your way.
"there is certainly something to be said for 20,000 people of truly different religious faiths, classes, and cultural tastes excited about a candidate."
and that something to be said is "scary".
Distrust crowds, and don't look for temporal saviors.
The President of the United States is a manager, not a messiah.
http://www.dipdive.com/ has a higher quality version than YouTube.
I would actually expect the younger generation to be highly suspicious of something like this, and cynical.
Yeah, that version really is higher quality! Markedly
Definitely worth clicking over from an aesthetic standpoint.
It won't effect my vote either way, anymore than the YouTube version, but I'm definitely glad I clicked over. My opinion of the quality of the work, in and of itself, certainly rose sharply
I like Obama for the same reasons a lot of people do, but this video makes me squirm. Blake is on to something, but it's not only the younger generation. Youth's a stuff will not endure, and, sadly, it hasn't stuck with me any more than anybody else.
It's hard to have lived through half of the 20th century without having developed an immune system sensitized against video viruses, whether vaccine or disease. You can't sell me anything with a moving image on a screen. I use Macintoshes because I can write Unix shell scripts, not because Steve Jobs tells my lizard brain I'm cool if I had one.
The Obama Sprechstimme piece leaves me totally cold. I prefer to hear him give a speech, straight up. But that's just me. I've been inoculated.
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A bit more on "Maxine:"
As any of you can tell, "Suzette," "Beverley," "Mrs. Delores Elleberry", and "Maxine" are the same person. So are several others, including our former über-troll...uh...the "fortunate elder child." I won't mention his actual screen name for obvious reasons.
Back to viruses: "Maxine" seems like a relatively harmless chronic infection, e.g., herpes. Our "fortunate elder child" was an example of an infection from the same source that was much more severe. Think shingles.
If you have Google enough and time, you can do your own research. Mine found that the fortunate child's formation was slow and haphazard, but his demise was sudden and nearly absolute, except for a few sporadic pop-ups on Huffington.
There is much more, but I won't bore you with researches of trolls past, except to say that "Maxine" and her friends are the emanations of someone clever and and convinced of his own superiority. This person overplayed his hand with the fortunate elder child character, making obvious what is latent in "Maxine:" That he is tedious, hostile, and, in the end, too clever by half.
He should try something different. I suggest just going away.
Theo,
Huh. Never made that connection between those two trolls.
If Hillary is stealing "Yes, we can," that's just as low and classless as it gets.
Hillary's more of a "No, you can't" type.
Theo--
Thank you for the new vocab. word...
Sprechstimme -- an expressionist vocal technique that falls between singing and speaking.
A cheerful story about Afghanistan and Pakistan this morning...."classic growing insurgency..NATO is not winning, says former NATO commander, retired Marine General...greater strategic consequences than Iraq...Afghan and Paki rebels "one seamless whole"...
Remember...Sen. Obama said he wanted to bomb Pakistan? Bad idea. If elected, he would climb a learning curve sharp as a knife and just as bloody. McCain knows war is Hell. Hopefully, he would be more restrained.
"The President of the United States is a manager, not a messiah."
Well said. de Toqueville wrote that the beauty of our electoral system with its mandatory 4-year cycle is that it acknowledged that all humans are fallible and all would eventually wreck the country in some way. So we elect the person who will do the least harm, not the one who will save us.
Not quite so glamorous or emotional, just better for the nation.
It is a friggin advertisement. It wasn't even paid for by Obama. It isn't design to change people's minds.
If you already supported Obama you probably enjoyed watching it. If you didn't you either rejected it out of hand or perhaps you decided to look a little closer at the man.
But no one is making their decision based on music video.
George,
So you are saying that McCain is the reserved and cautious guy when it comes to using military force? That is....... a unique perspective.
The Mac comparison is interesting from my vantage point. To a person all the young Evangelicals I know and work with who are involved in renewal movements within the church are voting for Obama. To a person they all use Macs.
I don't use a Mac and won't be voting for Obama. Yet they still accept me... for now.
"Distrust crowds"...
In reference to a national democratic election, this seems a little silly. Reaching across the lines of race, class, age, gender, and locality isn't 'scary', it's what any canidate is going to have to do in order to win the general election.
Also, I think the POTUS is a lot more than just a 'manager'. Inspiring hope (and calm, and trust, and optimism) in the American people is probably one of the most powerful things a leader could do to stimulate the economy, keep our country safe, and improve people's lives. GWB has used fear and paranoia to keep people at bay. Someone who actually inspires good feelings among a broad range of people could really reinstill Americans with a sense of actual pride. That could really be somethin' else!
It's a false choice to imply that our politics can either appeal to our emotions or not. For starters, the current state of our political discourse already does appeal to our emotions. It just happens to appeal to very negative and disparaging ones. Does anyone really not notice this?
Pure Obama.
Professional, slick, but it seems real and personal.
And what pretty people.
Look closely and you will see two glimpses of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin's Sam Page, (born Sam Elliott).
What a neat video! Barack Obama is a powerful speaker, and this was a nice tribute to his great words.
No Mac here either, but he has had my vote for a long time!
GWB was never meant to be, but we allowed it to happen. Voting is our voice and we should use it to say that NOW it is time for a Change. We can't go back, only forward, and I plan to speak loudly and use my one vote for Change--for Obama! You should think for yourself and vote for the person who represents you and your passions!
For me, that is Obama. Let’s Embrace our differences! It is that which makes us all so unique!
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