Real Clear Politics has long been my favorite political editorial and blog aggregator. They bring in a good mix of Left, Right, and Center points of view, and they post any new polling info as soon as it's released.
This morning's offerings were centered around Obama "The First Rock Star" candidate getting knocked off his pedestal by Sarah Palin "The First Hockey Mom" V.P. candidate. She was in beauty pageants ! She can field dress a moose ! Pigs ! Lipstick ! A new bright and shiny object has entered our field of vision and with our current ADD symptoms, we can't help but look and be fascinated ! !
McCain is now leading Obama in the polls because of Sarah ! Sarah ! Sarah !!!!!!!
The first time I saw this happen, or at least the first time I saw it happen when I could understand it, was around 1982 or 83 when I was doing my student teaching at a middle school in the Mississippi Delta. I was also hearing about Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson, The Moonwalk, Michael Jackson, his videos, and Michael Jackson. Kids came to school dressed like Michael Jackson. Teachers cursed the name of Michael Jackson.
The hype machine had turned him into the greatest human who had ever lived. It went on and on.
And then came Prince. Prince Rogers Nelson of Minneapolis. "Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It's 1999." I forget the other songs, but they were good. It only took three days for a paradigm shift to occur at Margaret Wade Middle School in Cleveland Mississippi.
All of a sudden, Michael Jackson was this weird dude addicted to plastic surgery. No one could remember seeing him with a girlfriend for very long. There were serious hallway and lunchroom discussions about whether Prince could kick Michael Jackson's ass (like, in a wrestling arena, not just on the music charts.) It was sad.
One 8th grader summed up the situation for me. It's been 25 years, and I still remember it perfectly. She said "You don't get tired of Prince songs the way you get tired of Michael Jackson's songs."
I didn't point out to her that she'd been playing Michael Jackson non-stop and speaking his name without ceasing for the previous nine months. Heck, I like Bob Dylan's music, but if I were to listen to him, and only him, for nine months without a break? "Barry Manilow's Greatest Hits - Volume 3" might have a strange new appeal.
The uncommitted middle of America has gone to the McCain/Palin distraction in much the same way.
Now I'm waiting to see what stunt the Democrat wing of The Bipartisan Party (R, D,) creates to restore Obama's momentum. (Maybe Palin will screw up and change her name to a pseudo-Egyptian symbol that means "The Governor Formerly Known As Palin".)
The only one I can think of would be for tired old Joe Biden, who we've been listening to for 30 years, to resign. Obama could replace him with She Whose Name Is Not Spoken.
In the meantime, think of Obama as Michael Jackson and Sarah Palin as Prince. The analogy holds up well.
I just discovered something funny. I was going to find and post a Youtube video of Prince doing "1999". But Prince has had all of his videos removed from Youtube. Could it be that he understands the dangers of overexposure? There's something to be said for the old show biz adage "Leave 'em wanting more". Michael Jackson and maybe Barack Obama have failed to do just that.
9 comments:
That's actually a pretty good analogy.
Great post, and a great read, and it all sounds good to me.
Personally, MJ's has a few things that are really worth listening to for extended periods of time, and Prince has more, but both still get old and I can always use a fresh face.
Byah! Prince's Purple Rain has got nothing on Michael Jackson's Thriller!
She Whose Name is not Spoken is looking to a clean slate in 2012, if my bets are correct. At this point she'd turn the Messiah down, indeed would likely have done the same before Obama chose the creaky but still formidable Biden.
No, She Whose Name is not Bespake is hellbent on the pinnacle of executive power. He Who Brings Promises of Change is stuck with Him Who Plagiarized and Yet is Still Formidable These Years Later.
When She Who Brings Great Legs meets Him Who Plagiarized and Yet is Still Formidable These Years Later, She Who Brings Great Leg's will have her plate full, to say the least. The VP debate will be a handful for Sarah Palin.
An aside, I'm hoping the wet fallout from Ike aren't ravaging your neighborhood.
We Who Are Still Dry are grateful for your concern, dear He Who Is Well-Informed On Foreign Policy.
It looks like it'll be a while before we visit Galveston again, though.
Bradley H,
Glad to have you here. I'm more of a "Off The Wall" by MJ fan, simply because of massive overexposure to "Thriller". Good stuff.
This was absolutely the best and funniest analysis of the presidential race I've read!
I think this is ridiculous, OK, Michael Jackson has not only made Thriller, he has made much more music, not only thriller which is great, but to those whom haven't heard the Dangerous album please know that he has done much more music,as the Dangerous album, he's a creator,an inventor of dance, he is an ARTIST, a REAL artist, Prince who i respect very much is a musician thats not bad at all, but please, stop this thing that MJ has only recorded Thriller,this notion is really to people who had only heard the Thriller album,i mean, to know MJ is to really search through his history of music AND life, MJ has OTHER MUSIC TOO,if you had only heard the Thriller album, please!!! try to listen and see other work from him, just give it a try.yl
Anon 1,
Your taste is excellent
Anon 2,
Where to begin, where to begin....Hey, it was just a story about silly people changing their allegiances overnight, fer cryin' out loud.
Ok, I like "I just can't stop lovin' you" and "Man in the mirror". Both are post-Thriller songs.
All others,
I spent a lot of time driving in the truck today. And I listened to a LOT of talk radio.
If Obama is Michael Jackson, and Palin is Prince, She Whose Name Is Not Spoken might be pressed into service as Run-D.M.C.
I'm serious. They're listing ways that Biden could excuse himself from the ticket to make room for her.
If they indeed do that, at this point in time, would that create credibility or make him lose it?
It could make the country wonder if
he CAN make decisions as Commander in Chief. I think he will stick with Biden. Just knowing that they are even considering the switch gives me concern with his decision making ability.
I doubt MJ would care what those 'nobody' people your talking about who can't 'imagine' him having a girlfriend or would stop him from trying to find someone. Not to mention this misinformation of being 'addicted to plastic surgery' crap and finally that it is not a crime to be different so THAT is what is truly sad that people to this day fail to realize.
Well now that the race is over and if Obama is Michael Jackson,then Michael Jackson still kicks Prince/unreadable singn ass.To tell you the truth he always did just like presidential elections they are all about POPULARITY!!! Michael Jackson hasn't recorded in years and people are there for him,what if Prince stops recording???? He will no longer be the prolific artist people know him as,that what's going for Prince and if he stops there's nothing more, Michael Jackson has a legacy that's why he's one of the most famous people on the planet ,as far as Prince for many it's Prince who??
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