I had originally intended this to be a bit of dark humor. As I wrote it, though, I realized that this was not only possible but likely. I don't write as well as many of those who contribute here, but I thought I'd drop this out there and see what happens. With that in mind, read on...
As I watched Olbermann last night, my mind began to drift a bit. Instead of giving 100% of my attention to what was being said, I began to see and really focus on some of the images that were played as "background." There were those of W by himself, of Laura and him getting off a plane, of W and Fourthbranch with their wives in various venues. It was really quite a montage: smiling, waving, hugging, backslapping good humor, triumphal arrivals, balanced by a few more formal, serious shots. It occurred to me that most of those images were not recent. Without going out and "drumming up" a supportive crowd, what would the same occasions look like now?
I had this "Wow! moment and realized that this is the perfect opportunity for some entrepreneur or low level government toady to rise to the top. There are many places in this country where the economic "boom" we are supposedly experiencing is nothing more than a myth. (The particulars of that phenomenon are another diary.) I am sure that, like everything else about this administration, all appearances, no matter how trivial, are scripted to the Nth degree. It can’t be easy to get out huge crowds to support these guys, especially in some areas. The solution is simple: hire cheerers!
I many areas of the world families hire mourners to weep and wail. It is a sign that the deceased was loved and respected in the community. In other places, dictators or other governments require or strongly encourage people to show up and cheer for the despot. W needs a new White House Office of Crowd Development. With the advance party that precedes the prez, VP, etc. to any venue, these folks would recruit unemployed and underemployed people to come to yell and hold supportive placards. Obviously, these folks cannot be paid from any transparent fund, though that should not pose any problem for this bunch. Pay the crowd through some "Swift boat" type organization with no paper trail, no "fingerprints."
This may sound strange, but it solves a lot of problems. Bush gets a crowd, poor people get paid, the media gets its shot, and we get snookered. It’s a PR person’s dream! Of course, I have not developed the idea to its fullest potential. I’m an idea person; I don’t do development. C’mon, Republics. Get out there and get those crowds