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A Load Of Sticky Meringue

The US election campaign becomes more grotesque with each passing day. Like some great sticky-meringue celebration cake, it beckons one to probe through the fluffy topping and find substance beneath, only to discover there isn’t any.

That’s hardly surprising, for American culture is nothing more than sticky-meringue, with no solid base. Peer behind the thin veneer of razzmatazz and, like a Hollywood film set, all that’s discovered are a few bits of precarious scaffolding desperately attempting to support the structure.

The presidential election has degenerated into nothing more serious than a baseball grand-final. Two teams cheer on their favorites and jeer the opposition. Although the campaign has dragged on for the best part of twelve months, neither candidate hints at how he will run the country, if elected, preferring to cast aspersions at the opponent than display any leadership ability.

Iraq no longer features as an issue. Skillful manipulation by a controlled media has sidelined a war now considered done and dusted. The troops will be home in 2011. George Bush says they will. It must be true, even though he’s never before uttered one sincere word in the past eight years.

Vice President Dick Cheney is off this week to visit NATO’s fledgling, Georgia, on an errand of mercy to support its rapidly flagging Saakashvili. Apparently, so is the wife of John McCain. One Australian newspaper called her a ‘philanthropist’ with a mission to assess the human suffering caused by Russia’s military incursion.[1] Philanthropy must be difficult with only a hundred million in the bank, but then, one can purchase a lot of sticky-meringue with all that money.

Peer behind the thin veneer of these visits and the scaffolding is revealed as yet another opportunity to flutter the Stars & Stripes at the folks back home. One can be certain the media cameras will be in attendance. What could be more appealing to warmongering political waverers from either party, than the sight and sound of Cheney denouncing the Russians to the Georgian parliament, while sweet, demure, Cindy tours the Caucasian peasantry handing out dollar bills and US flag pins.

Apparently, there are no plans for either Cheney or Cindy to visit South Osettia, to view the suffering inflicted on its population by Saakashvili’s invasion; you’ll remember, of course, his aggression that resulted in hundreds of dead Russian citizens, and provoked Putin’s military response?

No, if you’re an average American, you probably won’t.

Meanwhile, back in the homeland, Republican campaign workers are out netting female ex-Hillary Clinton supporters. Embittered by Clinton’s failure to secure the nomination, and ready to stand before a camera – forty pieces of silver already jingling in their purses – they denounce Barack Obama and kneel to lick the boots of John McCain. It’s a neat slice of sticky-meringuery designed to draw even more of their ilk to the Republican fold. As yet, no-one has bothered to point out the insult to Hillary Clinton perpetrated by such action. To suggest her policies would parallel those of the neo-con advisors relied on by John McCain – who, to be honest, has clearly demonstrated he doesn’t know his Shiite ass from his Sunni elbow – rather than those of her Democratic rival Barack Obama, merely serves to underline their contempt for future US policy; proof, if needed, that the sole purpose of these Democratic Jezebels was to secure a white female in the White House.

Nevertheless, many ex-Hillary Clinton supporters are fully justified to claim that Barack Obama is ‘not yet ready’ to be president. After all, he still hasn’t changed color.

Not to be outdone for sticky-meringuery, the Democratic convention began this week with a huge splodge of razzmatazz and self-adulation. Then, proving the Republicans have an upper hand, the Democrats launched into full defensive mode with much talk of revealing just who was Barack Obama – as if we didn’t already know. Probably more has been written about this presidential candidate than any other in the history of the United States, yet the main speech of the opening day came not from him, or his vice presidential nominee, but from his wife.

It leaves one wondering who will be running the country for the next four years: Cindy McCain or Michelle Obama?

As the weeks tick away and November 4th looms ever closer, the race card in this presidential campaign becomes more glaringly obvious. Any idea that racial issues have been maturely dealt with by America may prove one of the victims of this election. Others include world peace, attempts to reverse global warming, and formulation of a real US foreign policy, rather than a domestic policy that reaches way beyond America’s boundaries and tries to encompass the world.

These are real political issues and therefore have no place in a US election campaign. After all, Americans are about to determine their new Pop Idol.

The rest of the world will have to wait. This sticky-meringue celebration cake is solely for US consumption.

[1] “McCain’s wife to visit Georgia” The Australian, August 26th 2008

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13 Replies to “A Load Of Sticky Meringue”

  1. It is truly sad that we have not yet figured out how to elect leaders who will actually lead, rather than pander. The banality and ineffectiveness of the process says a lot about our willingness to accept mediocrity.

  2. Well, you know, i’ve come to see the elections like a huge Italian wedding (don’t laugh… i’ve been to my fair share of them). There’s a lot of posturing and church coatroom discussions, horsetrading over the dowry and basketfuls of forever promises, but in the end the two handpicked hopefuls are not really the only ones being wed.

    Even the lowest pisano knows that when they choose their beloved, they are really cojoining with the entire family; insane auntie C., gouty old dottery G., manipulative S., evil brother M.

    When the American public goes forth to their massive democratic ceremony, to name their new political spouses, they must of a necessity remember that they are also marrying the whole party; even the shadow cabinets.

    It makes me want to cry; but then, i always cry at weddings.
    Such a noble attempt by the innocent; so doomed by everyday fate.

  3. Al – don’t feel too bad. The rest of the world seems fairly adept at choosing the worst of the worst as their leaders. It’s just that, when it comes to the political Olympics, America excels at ‘taking the gold’.

    Anan – okay, so whatcha got against the Italians, then? Apart, of course, from Senor Berlusconi. 😉

    Flimsy – would that be the protesters in Georgia, or Denver? Or, possibly both?

  4. It’s all getting very hard to take, but I’m hypnotised by it all.
    🙁

    I now feel like an outsider on all counts. I don’t like the Democratic nominee, but I can’t in all conscience vote for McCain.
    I’m out of step with both camps, so I shall go my own way, as I usually do.

    One wonderful opportunity I shall have on 4 November is to vote out Senator James Inhoffe – he of “Global warmning is a hoax” – that is worth all the disappoitnment about Hillary Clinton. I didn’t support her because she’s white RJ. I supported her because she’s stronger, more experienced and tougher than the new nominee. I wouldn’t feel any more enthusiasm for Obama if he turned white overnight. It’s unfair of you to imply that about Clinton supporters.

  5. Anan – I sympathize.

    Twilight – I wasn’t suggesting all Clinton supporters are rascist. I used the word, ‘many’, not ‘all’. I stand by that belief, and would add that ‘many’ are also sexist. However, I’m happy to admit others have more genuine reasons for their support, but to swing from Clinton to McCain, and his policies, is to insult Hillary Clinton.

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