The “Tea Party” movement is a loosely organised, libertarian political party in the USA that has garnered huge support from conversatives disillusioned with the Republican party. This podcast from NPR contains a fascinating interview with David Weigel, who covered the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), and is a great primer for anyone interested in learning why this right-wing organisation has gathered such momentum.
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Results tagged “politics”
Don’t hurry back.
Did you know that the United States of America are about to have an election? It’s true. The candidates range from the maverickiest guy the world has ever seen — Arizona’s Republican senator John McCain — and a guy who Hopes America Will Change or Dreams About My Hope or thinks that, Yes, We Can Change Hope or some such. He’s the Democratic Senator of Illinois, and his name is Barack Obama.
I’m terribly sad that this campaign is coming to an end. The effervescent Alaskan Sarah Palin has been a gift, an endlessly entertaining series of goofs and endearingly nonsensical non sequiturs. We are all indebted to Senator McCain for his wisdom in providing us with light relief during a global financial meltdown. Of course — even if the Democrats do take the White House — this is far from the last we’ll see of Governor Palin; I suspect she might reverse the trend of movie stars becoming politicians (Reagan, Schwarzenegger) and begin wildly successful franchise of action/comedy flicks, the ass-kickin’ hockey mom with a cheeky wink, à la College Humor’s Head of Skate trailer.
For a final look at the contenders, you could do a lot worse than watch PBS Frontline’s intriguing documentary. It filled in a bunch of gaps in my knowledge (although, rest assured, there are no end of gaps remaining) and comes with enough additional interviews, articles, and timelines to slake the most politically-parched viewer.
Obama with actual ideas, McCain with empty rhetoric and ad hominems. The candidates’ response in the wake of the Lehman Brothers collapse provide a stark contrast.
Via John Gruber on Twitter.
The New Yorker beautifully sends up Sarah Palin’s disdain for élites.
The New York Times with a great article on my favourite fake news anchorman, Jon Stewart.
MR. STEWART describes his job as “throwing spitballs” from the back of the room and points out that “The Daily Show” mandate is to entertain, not inform. Still, he and his writers have energetically tackled the big issues of the day — “the stuff we find most interesting,” as he said in an interview at the show’s Midtown Manhattan offices, the stuff that gives them the most “agita,” the sometimes somber stories he refers to as his “morning cup of sadness.” And they’ve done so in ways that straight news programs cannot: speaking truth to power in blunt, sometimes profane language, while using satire and playful looniness to ensure that their political analysis never becomes solemn or pretentious.
The Daily Show genuinely cuts to the heart of an issue, exposing more hypocrisy and subterfuge than any number of “genuine” current affairs shows. I wish it would return to free-to-air here in Australia … [sigh].
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