Commentary

New Clown Upsets Old Clowns- by Greg Strid

“Man with over-sized Homer Simpson head upstages
GOP debate”- that is the headline I would have gone
with to describe TV and film star (and former senator
from Tennessee) Fred Thompson’s announcement to
run for the presidency of the U.S.A.

Just before the Fox sponsored GOP debate last night,
the Thompson crew launched an advertisement entitled
“Debate”, in which he was clad in a dark, funeral-
appropriate suit, with the American flag acting as
wallpaper behind him. Thompson championed the
need for unity and strength while explaining that
decisions made by the next president will have
consequences in the future. Wow! Strength, unity,
decisions that affect our future- he has my vote!

Is it so odd that he chose the soft, buttery-smooth
couch on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show set to make an
announcement that was no surprise to anyone?
After all, many on his communications team are
veterans of Arnold Schwarzennegger’s successful
campaigns. And, the audience for Leno dwarfs that
of Republican pre-primary debates. In addition, the
commercial that Thompson’s crew aired before the
debate probably had a greater impact on viewers
than the anti-intellectual pronouncements made
by the crusty line up of bible-thumping candidates.

So, what is the big deal? Other candidates have
used TV shows and the Internet to break the un-news
of their entries into the marathon media race for the
presidency. Idiotic, simplistic pronouncements made
under the shadow of the flag are the real issue here-
not the way in which they are presented. In my view,
the saturation by the media of petty squabbles between
candidates of the same party serves no purpose other
than to increase already toxic levels of cynicism among
voters.

The best solution to this moronic political soap opera
would be to put all of the candidates on ice until the
summer of 2008. If this parade of nonsense continues
unabated, the already disillusioned American electorate
may not bother showing up at all come election time.

© Greg Strid 2007

© 2007 Splendid Marbles.