COMM 150: Celebrity politics -- a two-edged sword? A two-way mirror?

On Monday, I posted several links to articles and sound clips discussing Sarah Palin's manipulation of her image -- and her manipulation of the media -- along with a passage from Neil Postman's book "Amusing Ourselves to Death" in which he compared the politics of image to the old Bell Telephone ads, "reach out and touch someone" with a long-distance phone call. It all has to do with the way media cover politicians like they were celebrities, and the politicians encourage it by acting like celebrities themselves. Palin is a past master of the game.

But she isn't the only one. President Obama got where he is by doing much the same thing. He's been having a rough time lately, but he's pretty good at it, too.

Amy Chozwik of the Wall Street Journal had an interesting article in April 2009 headlined "The Making of a Celebrity President" and she made some good points. Her lede:

In the past 100 days Americans have watched Barack Obama drink a beer at a Washington Wizards game. They have seen him give the queen of England an iPod and thank Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie for her rendition of the national anthem. They've laughed (or groaned) at the jokes he cracked with late-night talk-show host Jay Leno.

All these may seem like the usual personal tidbits that the public demands from its pop-culture icons. But Mr. Obama's stardom is no chance obsession. It's part of a White House media strategy to pitch the president as a person ... and then sell his policies. The idea evolved from the campaign, when chief strategist David Axelrod led an effort to get voters comfortable with a little-known, biracial candidate who spent his childhood in Hawaii and Indonesia.

The White House press team has worked to familiarize the country with Barack Obama -- how he meddles in the first lady's fashion choices; treats himself to "some mean waffles and grits" for breakfast, according to Mrs. Obama; and enjoys watching his young daughters feast on a supply of Starburst candy on board the Marine One helicopter. ...

Politicians have been doing this sort of thing since Abe Lincoln talked about splitting fence rails, of course, and long before. But what would Postman have made of Obama's public relations gambits?

Obama does something else, at least in his campaign speeches, that makes me think of Postman's aside about Snow White and the mirror. Obama turns his rhetoric back on his audience ... who's the fairest in the land? You are. Here he is in his 2008 acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention, from the transcript in The New York Times:

... If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from. You make a big election about small things.

And you know what? It's worked before, because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping and settle for what you already know.

I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.

But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the naysayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me; it's about you.

(APPLAUSE)

It's about you.

(APPLAUSE)

For 18 long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said, "Enough," to the politics of the past. You understand that, in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same, old politics with the same, old players and expect a different result.

How many times does he use the word "you" in that passage?

You have shown what history teaches us, that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington.

The politics of celebrity came up in the 2008 election, when Republican presidential candidate John McCain ran an an ad attacking Obama as "the world's biggest celebrity." Reported Jill Zuckman of The Chicago Tribune's blog "The Swamp":

With a new television spot comparing Barack Obama to bubble-gum celebrities Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, John McCain is launching a new campaign aimed at portraying Obama as an international star without the heft necessary to become the American commander in chief.

A 30-second television ad that hit the airwaves Wednesday calls Obama "the biggest celebrity in the world," then asks ominously, "Is he ready to lead?"

We'll see a clip in the Associated Press story:



Responding to this foray into the politics of celebrity was ... a bona fide celebrity. Amid some truly inane studio chatter, an ABC affiliate's news story aired part of Paris Hilton's response on a comedy network to the McCain ad. Watch for her energy policy ... we're going to come back to it in a minute:



What happens when the politicians sound like celebrities? Let's compare. Here's the Associated Press' daily "Campaign Minute" round-up the day Hilton's spoof came out.



The "AP Minute" show didn't quote Hilton's energy policy, but it's no less detailed than the summaries of McCain's and Obama's that viewers were able to watch. An overseas observer, Tim Reid of The Times of London, took this notice of Hilton's energy policy:

With the country's energy crisis dominating the campaign this week, Ms Hilton then lays out an impressive plan to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil, combining elements of the strategies outlined by Mr McCain and Mr Obama.

“Energy crisis solved,” Ms Hilton says. “I'll see you at the debates, bitches.”

I think I'm going to have to agree -- her energy policy is no less impressive than McCain's and Obama's. Reid's report continues:

Last week Mr Obama said that people would use less petrol if they kept their tyres properly inflated. Mr McCain has since mocked the idea, even though it is official Bush Administration advice.

He told a huge rally of motorcyclists in South Dakota that America was not going to achieve energy independence “by inflating our tyres”. His aides have even been handing out tyre gauges inscribed with “Obama's Energy Plan”.

“It's like these guys take pride in being ignorant,” Mr Obama said on Tuesday. “Instead of running ads about Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, they should go talk to some energy experts and actually make a difference.”

When the politicans start sounding like celebrities, the celebrities make make as much sense as the politicians.

And for the life of me, I can't help thinking Paris Hilton came off looking best in the exchange of views.