Smirk vs. Smarm

Relief that the last debate is done, though I’m driven to watch them all.

Too many rehearsed talking points, not enough style, substance, passion. I know both guys are trying to please the masses and be mild and pleasant, but I could use a little more feistiness, a little bickering, something real. I know they both have plenty of character and strong beliefs under those politicians’ veneers. Let’s see it.

I am still way in favor of Obama, on so many levels, but wish he could come across a little less cocky and smirky, and show a little passion, verve, enthusiasm. After this debate, trying to detect my inner feelings and push down my normal rah rah Obama feelings, I’m left with thinking a little less of Obama, a little better of McCain, in spite of just reading this scary (but take it with a grain of salt) Rolling Stone bio of McCain. There is just no way I would want this volatile blinky old, albeit bright and practiced politician, running the country (not that the president really runs the country, but his attitude affects the way we feel about living in it, and the quality of life for ourselves and children and grandchildren).

I read Obama’s first book and feel that under the smooth arrogant exterior is a real person who I don’t believe is completely driven by hunger for power like some politicians. And what he stands for I believe in, but I can’t help wishing that in this debate he was just a bit more … dynamic, or something. This is the last debate before we vote and he should have wowed us. From reading the book I admire and respect him a lot, and feel that he has the charisma and charm and a certain realness and humanness that the dems’ last candidate sorely lacked. I am really really really hoping that he wins the election. I will be devastated if he doesn’t. But although he’s ahead, I’m scared because I have to say McCain carried himself pretty well in the last couple debates (in spite of too many “my friends” and “Joe the Plumber”s).

What do you think? Has your opinion of either man, as a man, as a potential president, changed since you watched this last debate?

A heck of a hottie, that darn, doggone Palin

My take on last night’s debate seems to be at odds with that of the applauding pundits who’re saying that because Palin didn’t act like an idiot a la the Couric interviews that she did a great job debating Biden. She began with a flirty giggle and “Can I call you Joe?” and went on through lots of hastily-crammed-into-her-brain factoids, spiced with plenty of “darn,” “heck” and “doggone.” Aw shucks, if anyone was playing Palin Bingo last night as a drinking game and had those words they’re nursing a hangover today for sure.

She changed the subject in order to toot her own horn more times than I can count, and even my Palin-adoring husband kept laughing and saying, “What was the original question?” But I was impressed–certainly not by her vice-presidential qualities or aptitude for foreign diplomacy–but by the fact that she managed to memorize more names and details in a very short time than a C-minus law student cramming for her first bar exam.

I hadn’t seen Joe Biden speak at length before and was impressed by his vast knowledge of foreign policy and current issues, his humanity, intelligence, eloquence and skill at speaking and debating. I laughed, though, when he said of John McCain, “I love him…I mean God love him.”

The concept of a debate’s having a true winner doesn’t make sense to me really, because points made by both candidates resonate with those disposed to agree with them. I haven’t changed my lack of admiration for Palin, but I do recognize her ability to act corny and memorize a lot of new information quickly.

Palin–just a harmless hot hockey mom?

My husband thinks so, but she gives me the heebie-jeebies.

When Reagan was president I couldn’t watch him on TV; just to hear the fakery spew from his mouth was unbearable for me. And I have a similar visceral reaction to the current Bush. I can’t stand listening to Sarah Palin, either, and unlike her thousands of brand new ardent fans, I find her neither attractive nor sincere and to be so far right in ideology she’s plain scary. The idea that she could be “just a heartbeat away” is something I can’t bear thinking about. I dearly hope that by this time next year she’ll be only a memory, back in Alaska rather than in the VP seat.

Do you like her? Why?

Web presence/platform

Experts in my field (writing and editing) say that these days you need a platform to sell book and article ideas to agents and publishers. That platform seems to consist, as far as I can tell, of a “web presence,” meaning a personal web site and a blog that get lots of hits. I’ve had both for about three years ago, and just added this blog, not really to increase my web presence but to talk and stimulate discussion about all the things that exist and interest me that have nothing to do with food and food writing, the subjects of my other blog Tripe Soup, from current politics (Go, Obama, go!) to being a parent (a job much harder than anyone tells you before you become one), to the B.B. King concert I went to last Friday, to all the places I’ve traveled to and want to go, to how a brisk walk on a cold day makes you feel so blissed out it should be illegal, and how being a writer can really suck and is a lot harder than people think but is the best job in the whole world.

Part of that “web presence” that I’ve been working on is signing up for pages on LinkedIn, MySpace and Facebook, and although I’m not sure how virtually buying a beer for an old friend or taking care of another one’s “Green Patch” are helping my career. We’ll see. I did get a couple of well-known authors in my field to agree to be my “Facebook friend,” even though one I only met briefly and the other only saw from very far away when she sat on a panel at a conference. You never know…

Part of me, though, can’t help repeating to myself, “Fools’ names and fools’ faces are always seen in public places.”

Oh Obama!

I am a big Obama fan. Although Hillary used to attend church with my grandmother and her “husband” Bill is my homie, I just don’t see her as real or genuine and she is lacking in charisma. Many might disagree that charisma is vitally important for a president, but to me a U.S. president does not really have a lot of power. Sure, he or she has more than say, I do, but the holder of the job is not omnipotent. A president is a spokesperson, a sort of interface between government and the people. A president needs damn fine people skills.

Obama is charming, good looking and smart and I really hope he’s our next president. At times it looks likely, when he has the majority of the popular vote, but DH says the fix is in, that Hillary’s cronies will get her in the White House no matter what, so every time I feel a little burst of hope, it gets dashed down like Mash-a-Mouse at the fair.

It kills me that this country is supposed to be a democracy, but as we saw in Florida not long ago, the democratic process is toilet paper. Why do we go through the motions, bother to vote when our vote doesn’t count for shit? Because we can, I guess, because we can.

I know I promised pet peeves for today, and I have my list ready and all. But it just had to be about Obama today. Tonight is Mississippi and he’s likely to win yet again, but it is still unbearably scarily posssible that Hillary will be our next president.

Pet peeves tomorrow, I promise.