By way of further preparation, today I examine the matter of early announcements for President by self-selecting "candidates." Yes, I know this characterization can seem almost snide. But if one looks at the facts, we see that campaign announcements are coming earlier, and the media glitz factor is going up. Hillary Clinton, in spite of a folksy message, used all the latest computer "social media," techniques for her announcement.
This campaign is going to be harder than ever to analyze on the merits. I'll have more to say about this as time goes on.
For now, we must all do our best to preserve our sanity, by holding on to the original promise of the country despite these nationalized "social media" campaigns.
++++++++++
From The Musical Patriot --
Ever since Bill Clinton in 1991, major presidential candidate campaign announcements have been coming earlier. It's as if the marketing sell campaign has been planned carefully, including the needed announcement date. The earliest announcement in recent years was Barack Obama in 2007, almost two years before the next election. Long gone are the days candidates did not campaign, following the conventional wisdom that to do so was beneath the dignity of the office. Now it is "dignity, shmignity, I'm going for it!"
Dwight Eisenhower could have been called dignified, if not gray. And Jimmy Carter had his rectitude. So there is some history for self-selecting, then campaigning and holding one's personal dignity.
But what of the dignity of the office? Ted Cruz is a grand-stander, not to be taken seriously except for the scary ardor of his "believers." The other Republican candidates announced so far are little better. On the Democratic side, as the The Washington Post observed, Hillary Clinton is more a celebrity than a politician.
There is something slightly oily and seedy about this "campaign" so far which seems new. The way forward for these candidates has been greased by big money. The actual dollar amounts will come later, of course. But for now, as in every year since about 1952, the Presidential election campaign is a media "show," as much as a serious endeavor of a great democracy. This is a great tragedy.
This campaign is going to be harder than ever to analyze on the merits. I'll have more to say about this as time goes on.
For now, we must all do our best to preserve our sanity, by holding on to the original promise of the country despite these nationalized "social media" campaigns.
 |
| Thanks to The Hill.com |
++++++++++
From The Musical Patriot --
Ever since Bill Clinton in 1991, major presidential candidate campaign announcements have been coming earlier. It's as if the marketing sell campaign has been planned carefully, including the needed announcement date. The earliest announcement in recent years was Barack Obama in 2007, almost two years before the next election. Long gone are the days candidates did not campaign, following the conventional wisdom that to do so was beneath the dignity of the office. Now it is "dignity, shmignity, I'm going for it!"
Dwight Eisenhower could have been called dignified, if not gray. And Jimmy Carter had his rectitude. So there is some history for self-selecting, then campaigning and holding one's personal dignity.
But what of the dignity of the office? Ted Cruz is a grand-stander, not to be taken seriously except for the scary ardor of his "believers." The other Republican candidates announced so far are little better. On the Democratic side, as the The Washington Post observed, Hillary Clinton is more a celebrity than a politician.
There is something slightly oily and seedy about this "campaign" so far which seems new. The way forward for these candidates has been greased by big money. The actual dollar amounts will come later, of course. But for now, as in every year since about 1952, the Presidential election campaign is a media "show," as much as a serious endeavor of a great democracy. This is a great tragedy.
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