No one cares what I think about serious subjects. Which is why I can write about the absurdity with two Presidential “candidates” such as these. Both so polarizing, so dedicated to hating the opposition, so ready to call out each other as anything but human beings it is quite clear whoever is elected if it is indeed one of these two, there will be nothing more than the political vitriol to which we have all become accustomed since the nineties.
Nothing will be accomplished except more stalemates, no bills, no sustainable Executive directives, nothing but calling the other side silly names and blaming them for every problem in life from bad breath to that rattling in your transmission. I am speaking of Hillary and The Don in case that wasn’t apparent.
The media is no help. I watched CBS this morning and saw Ken Burns pimp some President’s book he’d written for kids. I understand it wasn’t meant to be a children’s book, and it just turned out that way. He went on and on like it was something innovative and new when in fact it was nothing more than a simple reprint of other children’s books about Presidents. I wondered why is this even on the network? Until what happened next. Out of nowhere, he was asked to slam Trump. No ifs, and’s or buts, “Why do you hate Donald Trump and why shouldn’t he be President?“
It made me wonder. I have several scripts out in circulation if I promise to slam whichever candidate you choose that morning, may I come in for some free PR? I don’t understand how CBS chooses the criteria for experts on contemporary politics.
Ken Burns is an excellent filmmaker. I own his Baseball Series and his Civil War Series. My case was used in his rare cancer documentary on PBS but just because he can edit great historical clips and shoot good video, how does that make him such an expert on politics that CBS brings him in for his opinion? Why not a plumber or a teacher or a juggling clown? Because flash is better for ratings? Celebrity names have more weight than the grocer whom you talk with daily. Ken Burns? Really? “Next on CBS This Morning, the danger of industrial blast furnaces from former baseball great and home run king Barry Bonds, famous for his mighty blasts.” Or, “Why are there so many chemicals in your drinking water with Keith Richards whose chemical use is legendary.” .
He stated as a fact, not opinion that Trump was not qualified. Who cares what a good filmmaker’s assumptions are regarding qualifications on a job for which no one can be adequately qualified. Trump has experience in dealing with multi-billion dollar corporations and cutting through bureaucratic red tape. Hillary has been grooming herself for this job since puberty and is more than familiar with the operations of the political machine. She believes being President is her destiny.(Scary) Is either of them qualified to lead our nation?
Was a self-taught lawyer from Kentucky who couldn’t speak without stuttering qualified? Not everyone thought so, but we all remember him now as being the greatest leader of our country and saving the union while initiating a morality that helped propel us into world leader status.
Who knows what Trump can do or Hillary. They have both shown us what they are capable of, and that is frightening. Certainly, a filmmaker pimping a children’s book is not the best choice to use as a political barometer.
One more thing, as Columbo would say….when is Bob Schiefer finally going to put on the leisure suit, pull his pants up to his chest, don the white patent leather shoes, move to Miami, eat dinner at 2 in the afternoon, get off the air and retire. He is the angry old man on the corner who’s always screaming, “Get those kids off my lawn, where’s my shawl, I’m cold.” Although he has made the transition from cave paintings, to the printed word, to telegraph, to radio, to TV admirably, he and his antiquated views, predictable opinions and outdated observations may be a bit much for the younger crowd to consider him anything but an old has-been trying to prove he’s hip and relevant. The younger crowd like my great grandparents. #timetomoveon