omg five more days

[jlh]

For the policy wonks out there, or anyone who wants to understand how we got into this Iraq mess in the first place, a NYT Mag article from that old neoconservative Francis Fukyama (who recently stated that Obama has his vote) lays out in brilliant detail how we got from the end of the cold war to where we are now. Note that it was written in early 2006, before the surge, so some of his comments about Iraq and Syria don't apply quite as well now.

As for the Barry infomercial, my ridiculous side is disappointed in the lack of flashing phone numbers, spray mounted pie charts, or the demonstration of small appliances, as that would have been funny. But to be serious, I thought the best move they made, aside from the obvious ones of choosing diverse families from swing states, was to have Obama narrate the entire thing. It gave the show cohesion despite the many different segments, and gave the viewer the impression that Obama himself was telling us about these families. Obviously it was shot and put together extremely well; amazing to think that they did this in what, two weeks or so. Wonkette noted the balance of the appeal to the independents in the infomercial and the shout out to the base on the Daily Show that same night. Obama even made a couple of jokes, and Jon looked surprised about that. I admit, I find it endearing that Obama isn't very funny. I'd rather he be earnest.

Comments

[malsperanza.livejournal.com]

disappointed in the lack of flashing phone numbers, spray mounted pie charts, or the demonstration of small appliances

Alls I wanted was a Don Pardo voiceover shouting, "But wait! There's MORE!"

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I love Obama's non-funniness too. It's not that he can't ever be, because sometimes he's saying something earnest that is also funny. I remember him being criticized for "laughing at his own jokes" at that Newman thing? But I thought he was hilarious there and that his laughing wasn't at his own jokes but doing the thing he obviously does every time he makes a joke. It makes him happy and he laughs to share with everyone. Like he did when he said that line about sharing his toys and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. He's adorable when he's surprising himself by making people laugh.

He's earnest and not a great comedian but it's not because he takes *himself* so seriously all the time.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Okay, one more point about Obama's dorky funniness? I just saw the clip where he says that if you had money in the stock market recently you wouldn't need social security because you'd be...you know...*puts hand on heart* Like, what was it, Sanford and Son? I'm comin' Weezie!

I don't know what's more adorable, that he made that Sanford and Son reference or that he switched Elizabeth Sanford with Weezie Jefferson. He's like just Gen-X enough that he instinctively makes pop culture referencs but not pop culture obsessed to have them on the tip of his tongue.