Recurring Visions

"I am seeing things, I know. I see a nation in abject poverty; I see chaos, death, despair. I see disease. I see crime. I see revolt. I see war. And I see someone, some Venezuelan or Cuban or even an American, stepping forward to intervene, to calm and charm the Haitian people: I see a peacemaker full of political guile. -- Bill Gnade, "Tragic Thoughts", January 13, 2010

In a recent interview with Bill Maher, actor and political activist Sean Penn had this to say regarding his humanitarian outreach program in Haiti:

Hugo Chavez, who, when I went to Venezuela, when I went to Haiti, because when I, starting up an NGO, how do I, an actor in Hollywood, order bulk narcotics?...But on a serious note, you know, this is where amputations, reamputations after gangrene set in – it was Venezuela, Cuba, were able – supplied us with those to be able to get them to hospitals. And then later when I – it wasn’t because the Americans weren’t, it was because I didn’t know how – It seemed I didn’t know the same people that I knew to be able to do it... The collaborative opportunity in Haiti, when you talk about Hugo Chavez, and some of these other people who are demonized, and you know, when some of these countries accuse us of an occupation -- where I believe this was strictly a humanitarian action one the part of the United States military, and an incredible one – I’m a little sympathetic. Because every day, this elected leader is called a dictator here, and we just accept it! And accept it. And this is mainstream media, who should – truly, there should be a bar by which one goes to prison for these kinds of lies. [bold mine, added for emphasis]

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Abusing Sarah Palin With Metaphor

Twice this week I've warned the Democratic Party about the dangers of overplaying the Sarah Palin attack strategy. I even invoked a sports metaphor, the very same (and rather lame) metaphor I invoked on the eve of Democratic Party victories in 2006. I warned them of the "offsides trap," a defensive play in soccer (or European football). Not that anyone is listening, but I at least try to sound the alarm.

I find it interesting that tonight on the "The Factor" with Bill O'Reilly, Dick Morris used a metaphor of similar import drawn from military history: he warned Democrats that Sarah Palin could end up being the Democratic Party's Battle of Kursk; that battle was a trap for Germany, used to great success by the Soviet Union in World War 2. I like Morris' metaphor only to a point, as it is hard for me to even remotely hint at sympathy towards the repugnant Hitler (or the Soviet Union's Stalin, for that matter).

My warning, of course, was aimed at Democrats and all those in the media who support the Democratic Party. It was intended to point out the perils of crossing a particular line, albeit a moving one. A quick survey of the media largely confirms my suspicion that Democrats have already crossed that line with a series of abusive metaphors (in bold):

• The ever-imitable New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd opined Sunday that Sarah Palin is essentially a real-life "chic flick." In all fairness to Ms. Dowd, who is to literature what phone sex is to oratory, a direct quote should be offered: Sarah Palin's story is a "hokey chick flick [that] came out on the trail, a Cinderella story so preposterous it’s hard to believe it’s not premiering on Lifetime." (My wife perfectly sums up what is wrong with Ms. Dowd: Ms. Dowd's words are born solely of envy.)
• Ersatz comedian Bill Maher essentially referred to Sarah Palin as John McCain's stewardess. (That's some pretty heady humor there, Bill. Great writing.)
  
• Washington Post columnist Sally Quinn believes "that a woman with five children, including one with special needs, and a daughter who is a 17-year-old child who is pregnant and about to have a baby, probably has got to rethink her priorities. It seems to me that there is a tipping point, and I think that she's crossed the tipping point." (Ms. Quinn might want to quietly meditate on her tipping point for a while.)
• Democratic strategist and linguist/philosopher George Lakoff said of the Sarah Palin story, "It's conceivable a 17-year-old girl just screwed the GOP." (Of course, it should behoove any decent linguist to properly ask himself what he intends by "conceivable" and "screwed." Nice metaphors, Mr. Lakoff. I can see why you are a Democratic strategist.)

What is just thrilling good fun is to watch closely whether Gov. Palin can sufficiently tap into her own poetic muse to find the apt metaphor that both perfectly fits the expectations of the American psyche (at least a majority share of it), and also gives Mr. Lakoff fits of apoplexy (figuratively speaking, of course). Tonight, right now in fact, is her time to be particularly inspired. That is if she's not too tired from breast-feeding. (Sorry. See how easy it is to be a buffoon?)

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