It was wise of President Obama to shift his meeting with congress so as not to conflict with the Republican debate. The candidates are as fascinating as chimps in a zoo, especially now that alpha male, Rick Perry, has joined the pack. Will he try to defend, or squirm out of the radical yammerings in his book, “Fed Up!”? He calls social security a Ponzi scheme, rails against the supreme court, gay marriage, and the EPA, says everyone should be allowed to pack a gun, religion should be in public schools, etc. His speaking style is super charged. Sweet reason is not comprehended by Tea Party candidates, who mostly toss emotional bombshells, unlike President Obama, who relies heavily on reason and reasonableness. It’s his major “weakness.”
Emotional arguments are well understood by the advertising industry, a heavy resource to Republicans. They haven’t yet had a bikini-clad woman hold up posters, like in boxing matches, but do use charged language, overheated imagery, and accusatory vocal eruptions. We’re used to hearing sales pitches in jolly, enthusiastic voices, and arm ourselves against them, so canny ad writers use derision. You hear it on TV and radio, especially ads for cars, auto parts, action movies, and sports wear, sort of a vocal sneer, like a bratty 12-year old: “Nyaa-nyaa, I have Air Jordons and you don’t.” Maybe it’s a male thing. Make that a boy thing. Tune in BRAVO, TV. you’ll hear an announcer say, “Only On Bravo,” a taunt that stops before it’s complete: “Only on Bravo... you pathetic pussy.”
Advertising guys do their homework, and after infinite hours of research and focus groups, learned that some customers must be bullied into buying. The last thing a chicken-hearted wimp wants to be taken for is—a chicken-hearted wimp, so advertisers play on it. A mean sneering tone scares them into action.
I hear it in most Tea Party ranters. Are there enough chicken-hearted wimps out there to get them elected? Wimps cannot run a nation that was born and tempered in the fires of courage and vision, or can those who manipulate wimpiness to grab at power.
I’ll be tuned to the debate.