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Silly Season

May 11, 2009

Obviously, it's the silly season in Washington DC and the American media have again shown a talent for ignoring important issues in favor of trivia. I'm referring to the recent spate of non-stories that have come out (both on TV and in print) about Barak Obama and his wife Michelle.

First came the mustard scandal. It was bad enough that President Obama casually betrayed the American People by asking for Dijon on his hamburger, instead of settling for good old Yankee yellow mustard. According to the Republicans, the Democrats then engaged in a sinister conspiracy by editing his request out of the news video. Apparently, the Dems were terrified that Americans might realize that Obama is not a “man of the people”, but is instead “a snotty elitist”. Apart from the fact that the GOP brands as elitist anyone who can read without moving his lips, this accusation begs a question. When was the last time that any ordinary working stiff became President of The United States? Harry Truman came close, but even he had powerful political connections. If you pine for the day when Joe The Plumber will occupy the White House, then you'd better not hold your breath while you wait.

Next came the horror of Michelle Obama volunteering to work at a food bank and then arriving there while wearing sneakers that cost more than $500. The brazen hussy! I have two comments about this shocking behaviour. First, I doubt that Mrs. Obama has any item in her closet that cost less than $500. The lady has never made a secret of the fact that she loves clothes or that she is prepared to spend big money on them, if necessary. Second, I saw a photo of the offending shoes and they just looked like sneakers to me. Unless all of those folks down at the food bank are die hard fashionistas, they probably would have had no clue about how much Michelle's footwear had cost. The press carried on as though the First Lady had arrived to load food boxes while wearing a ball gown and a diamond tiara.

Of course, such stories merely show how desperate the Republicans are to get something (anything) incriminating on the Obamas. Nothing is too silly or too trivial if it just might work.

Finally, there was the story that seemed to have been cooked up by the distributors of the latest Star Trek movie. We were told in a newspaper article that Barak Obama should remind us of the half Vulcan Mr. Spok. Why? The argument is that both of them come from mixed racial heritages, both are cerebral, both have big ears and both of them speak in soothing baritone voices. By that logic, Michael J. Fox should remind us of Tanya Harding because both of them are Caucasian, both are short and both of them like to ice skate. I'm not sure about how good Obama feels about being compared to a space alien anyway.

I'm not suggesting that the Obamas should be above criticism. If someone chooses to enter politics, then he or she had better be prepared to take some mud slinging. Still, with all of the really important issues out there, surely Obama's critics can find something more substantial to carp about than the nonsense described above. If some advanced alien race ever sifts through the ruins of human civilization in future, they will marvel at our capacity to distract ourselves with nits while the planet died around us.

What do you think?

George

P.S. Please visit my website at www.checkmatefiction.com for some free short stories.