I have one thing to say: I can't understand what the fuck is wrong with that interview.
Well I suppose I have much more to say having 20 years experience in communications and marketing so I will...
I am in China at the moment and I have missed the firestorm over this interview. I can't imagine how people have found fault with MSOC's interview. I thought she did really well for one thing. She came of as a real person - a real human being with aspirations for her country's future. She represented herself as a citizen. She didn't represent herself as speaking for me although she largely did speak for me (with the exception of the becoming an Independent part which is crazy especially considering that John Gibson and many more like him call themselves Independents). She managed to get herself on a widely consumed radio program which is no small feat.
But here is the thing...
I know something that few people are willing to admit to themselves around here which is that Fox News - if it was actually a truthful news outlet - would be the very best news outlet in America right now. It is like the old CBS in that they do a variety of "hard news" pieces that address a huge number of political issues and if their stories weren't so totally falsely represented they would be fantastic. Yes FANTASTIC is the adjective I would use. They actually cover politics and they actually talk about how politics affects the citizenry. Of course, the FACT that they are completely lying or just stupid and wrong on the effects of political decisions has to be noted, but try watching their programming for a day and analyze it from the stant point of topics offered and you might understand what I am saying here.
I turned on CNN International this morning here in China to find out what was happening in the world. CNN International used to be my dream news outlet. They used to do just enough America along with a healthy dose of the rest of the world. The past few days on CNN International has been devoted to that ferry sinking in the Red Sea. Devoted is the correct adjective there. It was as if there was nothing else in the world that happened for the past four days (or whatever - I have no idea what day it is anymore because when you come to China from the US you live as your future self and when you go back you become your present self - I think).
Anyhow, I turned on CNN International this morning to see what was going on and what did I find was the lede? It was the French lady who had a face transplant. Just from being here in China reading a local rag, I happen to know that this week they found that Bird Flu may be more prevalent than previously thought; that there was a revolt at Disney in Hong Kong over some sort of "season tickets" that weren't honored; the hearings on Domestic Spying were set to begin in what is the next few hours; but CNN I led with the French Lady with the Face Transplant.
People are bitching about Mary Scott O'Connor being on John Gibson's show because???? Did she talk about the face transplant or the seemingly countless babies covered on CNN conjoined at the head or Disney and their apparent inability to honor their own ticketing policies? No she talked about really important stuff like Alito's confirmation with a "Faux" fight. Talk about "Faux News" - that is what those 19 Democrats gave our Party. That is an opinion that I share with MSOC. It is not important really that we share it because even if we didn't and she was invited to share her opinion and did who the fuck am I (or you) to stop her? Apparently some people feel they have the right to censor her. Troubling to say the least.
What is really bothering me given this apparent firestorm is that she didn't come off as some sort of nut case. She came off as honest (God forbid). There is an awful lot of over-engineering going on in this Democratic "initiative" to have our views heard. There is this whole crowd who says, "Well the truth is that the best thing is to take care of Americans," and then they follow up by saying something like this, "But Americans aren't really ready to hear that so we won't say it." WTF??? Think Joe Biden or Joe Leiberman here - I do.
Most of the really important politicians in the history of this country were not people who shriveled up and skulked into the night when the public didn't IMMEDIATELY key into their agenda. Most of the really important politicians in the history of America had to fight with the opposition and they had to convince the public that their agenda was correct. None achieved their vision by waiting patiently for the media to come around. None - including our current President - let public opposition stop them dead in their tracks.
Americans don't want to totally undermine themselves, but no one from our side has bothered to tell them that they are doing so in following the GOP. Instead our party does bullshit passive aggressive stuff like "asking why Americans vote against their own self interest" and voting for cloture and then voting against the nominee. That is a waste of my fucking time. That is a waste of American's time and their prerogative to challenge the system and keep it on track within the ideals and structure of the Constitution.
Is there anything at all dishonest about what MSOC said in her interview? NO. I doubt the woman could muster even the faintest disingenuous commentary when it comes to politics. She is real - God forbid (again). Is there something wrong with being honest and uncalculated in your speach? I think that the only Party that should truly have the right to punish people for speaking truth should be the GOP. Truth is foreign and dangerous for them. Truth is passé to them. I am still a Democrat and I demand genuine and real leadership. If I don't get that, I like MSOC will take these "leaders" to task.
If you can't say what you are thinking without a massive backlash, then bring on the backlash because I for one am tired of the backlashers proclaiming some sort of "high ground" in the area of total INACTION and I think I actually have enough energy to tell you to sit down and shut up while someone who wants to take the lead and make something actually happen outside this little world where everyone agrees (mostly) on everything (mostly) anyway.
Takeaways from my little diary...
1. Fox News is structurally and topically excellent save for the fact that it is largely full of lies and misrepresentations of facts.
2. People should speak out even when you can't handle their views.
3. Stop acting like victims and take control of the truth even if you feel like no one is listening when you dare to speak it. How the hell do you think dKos became so popular anyway?
4. "Faux" leadership is not better than NO leadership. Perhaps it is worse. I think it is worse.
5. I have a genuine fucking "Bring `em on" to offer anyone who wants to metaphorically body check someone who has a real and genuine message in this 21st Century political arena. If you want to play in this contact sport, just remember you will be hit back no matter what you say so why not say what you think is correct and true? Why not?
6. Try not to be like the GOP and suppress the truth because you think it isn't "tidy" enough for American consumption. Democrats - Try really fucking hard not to do that or you will lose me too and that is a remarkably tough thing to do.
There are people in this world who are brave enough to say what they really think. They don't play passive aggressive "see I told you so" games after they subtlety "inferred" that it might go awry with topsy-turvy votes. They just go ahead an take a fucking stand.
Usually, I say "pardon my French", but tonight... because it is night in China... I say to hell with it. I am so tired of the "gingerly" approach to tough salt and pepper issues, I will swear like a sailor. Apologia was a brilliant word although since the real battle has just begun to be fought, I can't imagine why in the world anyone could think that there was anything wrong with the interview or that it was all that important in the grand scheme of things when you consider the fact that Gibson mostly entertains guests that agree with him. MSOC managed - really by accident - to "agree" with Gibson - that was the only reason she was able to go on and do what I thought was a fucking great job as a citizen of the United States of America.
Thanks MSOC and I am not blowing smoke up you ass. I couldn't care less whether you have been a "contributor" to dKos or have a blog of your own. What I care about is that you said what you think. Your Whig to Republican thing was pretty fucking arcane for the average American, but you know what? Someone out there decided to "Google it" and probably learned something as a result. Every little bit counts.
The Democrats should be educating citizens right now; they should be providing honest education on the subject of American politics and the Constitution. But who am I to say that I think the primary failing of the Democratic Party is that they have failed to give the people what they want by way of the established governmental system because they've failed to educate them on what their rights are? Who am I to say that it is as simple as connecting the dots between rights and the citizenry of the United States? I am not a pollster so my opinion doesn't count - that is I guess unless I am polled.
Perhaps people should just try talking with honest heart outside their little reality-based circle of friends every once in a while people. It is the only way to win in my opinion.
Good night and good fucking luck winning without heart and soul and a genuine and honest message that is ready to go anywhere and at anytime.