resurrectionsong

January 03, 2005

Best of 2004: Political Moments

This was a hard list for me to come up with not because there weren't an intriguing variety of moments to choose from but because I didn't lay down much in the way of context for the choices. That is, best political moments by what measure?

Well, by any measure, I've decided that these moments are some of the most memorable.

Saddest Moment of the Year

The vision of Nancy Reagan at her husband's casket was one of the saddest things I've seen in my life.

Most Bizarre Moment of the Year
The scream. It became more of a pop culture moment than just a political screw-up, defined the fall of what looked like a leading candidate, and was one of the most uncomfortably hilarious moments ever in politics. Thank you, Howard Dean.

Most Gratifying Moment of the Year The re-election of Bush. Not because he was the strongest candidate to ever find his way to the Presidency, but because another election cycle disaster for the left might actually force that wing of the polity to reassess their policies. If you believe that the country needs at least two strong parties to act as balances against one another, then a disillusioned left that realizes that the "shout louder" school of politics isn't working can only be a good thing.

Biggest Failure of the Year This is a tie between Michael Moore's damaging demagoguery, Howard Dean's spectacular rise and devastating fall, MoveOn.org's arrogant failure of a so-called Internet revolution, and General Wesley Clark's no-start in the election.

Michael Moore's uneven and obvious attacks on the President and on middle America not only failed to deliver the election to his fall-back guy, but also managed to alienate people who might have otherwise questioned Bush. Moore aided and abetted his political enemies just by being his ranting, overdone self.

Howard Dean, though, equalled Moore for rhetoric and attack-dog style politics before self-destructing in the most spectacularly public of ways. His successes, though, made the Wes Clark run look laughably amateurish. Aside from his celebrity endorsements and a news media that seemed instantly taken with the left's pet General, no one took Clark seriously. His campaign was loudly heralded, but died off without even the prescribed whimper.

MoveOn.org was a more interesting failure. They raised money, they raised the volume of the debate, and they raised awareness (at least of themselves), but they didn't manage to even keep the election as close as it was during the last election. The revolution they supposedly lead--this second coming of the promise of the Internet, oddly mirroring the "new economy" that the Internet supposedly brought with it before the dot-com bust--really proved that the Internet can be an effective tool, but a fund-raising tool that appealed to zealots like George Soros doesn't necessarily translate into a machine that will communicate well with average Americans.

The lesson learned was that an early start and an arrogant reliance on new methods doesn't overcome a bad strategy--and a good strategy knows how to leverage traditional and bleeding edge methods of communication.

Most Hopeful Moment of the Year Installation of an interim government, unsurprisingly, wasn't enough to solve all of Iraq's problems, but I view political solutions in the Middle East in sort of the same way that I do dieting and exercise. It usually takes years to pile on an extra twenty pounds, and it takes discipline, time, effort, and will to take it back off. It took decades for Iraq to become the wreck of a country that it was when Hussein was at the helm; it will take discipline, time, effort, and will to fix all of the problems.

But it did stand as a mile marker and a hopeful moment in our obligations to Iraq. Frankly, it should have happened sooner.

Posted by zombyboy at January 3, 2005 03:33 PM

Comments

Biggest political gaffe of the year? Any time Kerry touched a football.

Posted by: dorkafork at January 3, 2005 08:41 PM

I forgot to mention that on my shuttle home from Las Vegas, Michael Moore was aboard. Really. I am absolutely serious. LEt's just say that he didn't get much conversation on the fifteen passenger. He must have been doing "research." (:::Cough:::).

R doubts me. He says there are a thousand unshaven fat guys with glasses, but I know Mikey when I see him.

Posted by: Rae at January 3, 2005 09:23 PM

Micheal Moore is hilarious. For someone who likes to stand up for the downtrodden and such, he's pretty damn fat.

And Howard Dean was great this year. He had that 'Al Gore grew a beard' kind of personality turn-around. It may have lost him the nomination, but it made him cool. Which I guess sells books or something.

Posted by: Hector Vex at January 4, 2005 08:49 AM

It is interesting what you consider a failure. If someone's not slotted to win, but they do well is that a failure?

I just can't bring myself to mock someone on how they look or a goofy picture. But that's usually the difference between myself and the types that do that.

appearance isn't as important as what someone is saying or the real actions they take. But getting people to understand that is tough. I really don't know why I try to persuade people that are only persuadable by tough retoric and looking cool

Posted by: Ben at January 4, 2005 10:36 AM

Hmmm, Ben, so you presume that my husband is interested in only tough rhetoric and looking cool because he accurately called Michael Moore fat and unshaven? He stated a fact. That's it. Michael Moore is fat. He has a beard (that means "unshaven.").

Btw, I think "tough rhetoric" (did you look follow that link I provided?) is very persuasive.

My husband (and I) simply dislikes a person who edits news and film in order to "prove" his agenda. My husband also finds it easier to respect someone who wants to point fingers at the "indulgences" of someone else, if they keep themselves from indulging (umm, overeating), as well. But, I could be wrong, maybe if MM was a slim man he would believe him? Naaaaahhh. His methods aren't respectable nor honorable nor truthful either.

Posted by: Rae at January 4, 2005 11:40 AM

Rae, your husband wasn't only talking about MM in this post. I wasn't presuming anything about your husband just pointing out that some people, with your defensiveness here suspect I may have hit a sore spot, believe tough rhetoric before actual truth. But I also don't like Michael Moore's style in personal appearance (though he looked nice and presentable on the Barbara walters special) or propaganda. MM doesn't bring some interesting perspectives. But I still don't trust him.

I'm well aware of what rhetoric means, however I thank you for think link as I'm sure Hector didn't (I kid).

Posted by: Ben at January 4, 2005 02:12 PM

Sorry "MM does* bring some interesting perspectives"

Posted by: Ben at January 4, 2005 02:45 PM

Ben:

You come in here, directing your comments to either us or the proprietor ("It is interesting what you consider a failure.")

Then you attempt a stance of moral superiority over (at the very least) me ("I just can't bring myself to mock someone on how they look or a goofy picture.")

And then, continuing on the subject of appearances, you lament that "I really don't know why I try to persuade people that are only persuadable by tough retoric and looking cool", implying that we are only persuadable by tough looking rhetoric and looking cool. (As an aside, comments like that may also explain your difficulty in persuading people.)

So it's not because with Rae's defensiveness here you "suspect (you) may have hit a sore spot", it is due to you behaving like an ass. (Speaking of which, the whole "the lady doth protest too much" bit of rhetoric is so 9th grade.) You can either treat us like we're a liberal's caricatures of a right-wingers, or you could try discussing things with us like a civil person.

Posted by: dorkafork at January 4, 2005 07:52 PM

And for the record, I think these look funny. I don't make fun of people for bad genetics, but I will for bad hand-eye coordination.

Posted by: dorkafork at January 4, 2005 08:03 PM

Sir Fork, chivalrous conduct is always rewarded. You are knighted and 'rolled.

(Now please go post something).

Posted by: Rae at January 4, 2005 08:08 PM