Clinton versus Cowell

[bcholmes]

More U.S. TV viewers watched American Idol on Fox Network than followed the Super Tuesday presidential primary results on all the other networks combined.

— CBC News "talking point"

Comments

[sarah-dragon.livejournal.com]

Well the writing for the 2008 Presidential campaign is some of the worst I have ever seen. Maybe now that the WGA is back in the saddle, we'll get better dramas.

Not that it has ever been viewable really, but I think there is a very simple answer to stats like this (and similar ones for sporting events that are not the Super Bowl): I can watch my show on TV and keep track of the politics on the Internet. Same goes with say the NBA or NHL playoffs. ESPN has game coverage and I can get all the highlights later, which allows me to watch regular TV and avoid the often annoying play by play (itself a lost art).

Which is not to say that Americans aren't often lazy about their democracy but for myself, why watch more lies and rhetoric? We adore these demagogues who are the rich and privileged and generally have no real interest in uplifting their citizens or anyone else for that matter. (ok not all are demagogues, I generally think Reagan, Carter, Bush Sr, and Gore to be sincere, Obama maybe I dunno)

When the elder black veteran down the street who has more wisdom than any of these people is not only allowed to run for President but encouraged to do so, thats when I will take the system seriously again. Without a serious revolution, I doubt we'll see it happen.