Any of you remember Nixon's sweaty pits in the first ever televised debate against JFK? Neither do I. But it's the reason Obama will be up 5 points and hanging around 270 electoral votes by Oct 2.
Nixon was riding high on a strong 50 state strategy and was considered the favorite. Kennedy was being blasted for his youth and inexperience. The new medium of television was to be the forum for the debate, the first time the voting public had a chance to see and hear the candidates fight for the nation's favor.
Nixon refused make-up, trying to keep it real, against the advice of his handlers. Kennedy waltzed in, tanned and robust, a jarring visual contrast to the recently hospitalized and sallow complected Nixon. Nixon, also, was one sweaty dude, and the hot lights soon produced dinner plate sized sweat stains in the pits of his jacket.
The public was riveted by Kennedy's charisma and newly discovered gravitas. Swing voters, repelled by Nixon's creepy TV image and enamored of Kennedy's cathode ray stardom, delivered one the closest presidential victories of all time to Kennedy.
Sound like a familiar scenario?
The visual meme generated by the first Obama-McSame debate will have a similar effect on the low information voters that aren't complete jabbering- in- tongues, snake-handling pentecostal types. The contrast between the two will never have been more stark than the evening of 9-26-08, the first debate. McCain's age will be amplified tenfold without a word spoken about it. His creepy smile will seem a dim, jaundiced grimace in comparison with the Shiny, Fresh Obama and his calm, presidential demeanor. McSame will fade late and go nappy time.
Remember Mencken's term, "Boobis Americanis"?
Well, Boobis Americanus is alive and quite well and may be the Orwellian guinea pig whose mayfly attention span may deliver the election to Obama in the Twilight Age of Television.
A fitting end to Traditional Media's broad influence on the Information Age.
So, you heard it here, Holmes. Obama wins the election and nears 300 electoral votes.
But, by no means should you stop freaking out and pissing yourselves. It's fun to read!
Tues, Oct 2- Obama by at least 5 national aggregate!
Peace and Vegetables all you Peeyopel!
P.s. Did you know that XTC is one of the world's greatest bands?