Decline and fall of the American Empire

[Beagle]

He mostly rambled a lot about the war in Iraq. He was way off base and even had the moderaters rolling their eyes.

Most people didn't know what he was talking about when he said things like he had never voted for any bill on Social Security. What he meant was that he wouldn't vote for any increase in SS until there was a law that prevented the government from robbing it. It went over everybodys' head.

[Ishtar]

I was talking to someone else on another forum about Ron Paul and what you've just said, Beagle, about his debating skills on TV confirms my worst fears.

I'm for the guy because he'd end the war. But if I was his campaign manager, I'd give him a total makeover, as he comes across like a washed out pen pusher with as much appeal as yesterday's leftovers.

I'd crop his hair closer to his head, give him a bit of a fake tan and put him in some smart casual clothes, probably from Ralph Lauren. Then I'd send him to media training, so he'd learn to stick to the point and speak in soundbites. After that, it wold be salsa classes, or some sort of dance lessons, so that he becomes more relaxed and comfortable in his body and walks from his hips with his body languge exuding confidence - a real turn on to voters.

Mind you, being unclear, rambling and stumbling in your speech shouldn't make him totally unelectable. After all, George Bush got in. George Bush has also got a nice bum! So that probably helped.

(I'm not kidding!)

[Forum Monk]

I'd crop his hair closer to his head, give him a bit of a fake tan and put him in some smart casual clothes, probably from Ralph Lauren. Then I'd send him to media training, so he'd learn to stick to the point and speak in soundbites. After that, it wold be salsa classes, or some sort of dance lessons, so that he becomes more relaxed and comfortable in his body and walks from his hips with his body languge exuding confidence - a real turn on to voters.

Yep - those are qualities I look for in a candidate. In fact just the other day I was telling my wife, Hillary will never make it because she likes to wear those tacky looking, scarves around her neck. That is sooooo yesterday. I mean really. Doesn't she know this '08. Tacky, tacky, tacky.

[Ishtar]

[War Arrow]

Continuing with my theme of HOW IT WILL BE WHEN I'M IN CHARGE and keeping in mind that I know this will never happen, I think if it were possible I'd like to see some sort of media ban on politicians or at least something that levels the field and makes it completely irrelevant whether the candidate looks like Brad Pitt or has teeth falling out onto the podium. Politics is starting to feel like The X-Factor (or American Idol I guess) with access to the military. I can't remember the last time a politician struck me as trustworthy, excepting possibly Boris Johnson purely because he's such a clown that no spin doctor can have gone anywhere near him, and even if his policies (whatever they are) stink (and I'm pretty sure they do) at least they're his policies and not something cooked up by a focus group.

[Minimalist]

Politics is starting to feel like The X-Factor (or American Idol I guess)

Now you're learning, boy-o.

Television has destroyed this country.