Yesterday I noted with approval John McCain's new ad, in which he points out that Obama's status as an international celebrity is no real qualification for president. Evidently the ad has set off a bit of a firestorm. The liberal blogosphere is outraged. Why is that?
I'd say the reason the ad has provoked such a loud response is that it points out an obvious truth that liberal commentators, like the emperor who was wearing no clothes, want to remain unspoken: Obama's success to date has been fueled in large part by media hype, coupled with America's penchant for elevating certain famous people to a level of celebrity that is completely out of proportion to their actual accomplishments. The point of the commercial is not that Obama is no more worthy of being president than Britney Spears. It's that Obama may be the Britney Spears of presidential politics. Britney is deservedly famous for her singing career, but her accomplishments as a singer in no way justify all the publicity she has received over the years. The same goes for Obama. He's a talented politician, but he hasn't accomplished nearly enough in his career to justify all the hype.
Again, I think it's a smart move on McCain's part to make this point. Most people, even those who enjoy following the tabloid adventures of Angelina Jolie, recognize celebrity culture for the superficial diversion it is. Moreover, only the most committed Obama devotee would fail to recognize in his meteoric rise at least an element of mindless celebrity mania. Thus, the ad points out something about Obama most viewers will find both intuitively true and legitimately troubling -- which is why it seems to have struck a nerve.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
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