I do not wish to discuss the political issues, but rather how dud I find the whole scene. I think this might be because, in terms of entertainment value, US politics doesn't suit my (admittedly unusual) tastes.
American politicians do not seem to have the sense of humor that British and Australian politicians posess.(Please forgive me if I am being ignorant- my knowledge of American politics, while growing, is still small.) They do laugh, but don't seem to banter with reporters like you see in the Australian and (again, my knowledge here is limited) UK press.
Anyway, does anyone have thoughts about this? I'm particularly interested in what Americans find fascinating about US politics. Also I'd like to know what people think of various countries' politics as entertainment.
― Jole, Saturday, 7 February 2004 10:34 (twenty-two years ago)
I have no idea why the news networks avoid showing anything but superimportantseriousbreakingnews stuff. You'll catch Bush chatting with reporters sometimes on C-SPAN, and Rumsfeld in press conferences can be pretty funny - if you're not too busy thinking he's the devil incarnate to laugh at his jokes. But none of that stuff makes the news shows.
― Stuart (Stuart), Saturday, 7 February 2004 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)
― sym (shmuel), Saturday, 7 February 2004 13:07 (twenty-two years ago)
― Jole, Saturday, 7 February 2004 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)
― Kerry (dymaxia), Saturday, 7 February 2004 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)
― dave q, Saturday, 7 February 2004 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)
― Adrian (Adrian Langston), Saturday, 7 February 2004 14:38 (twenty-two years ago)
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Saturday, 7 February 2004 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)
― the krza (krza), Saturday, 7 February 2004 21:08 (twenty-two years ago)
Buddy Cianci, Prince of Providence -Fun? Try not marveling at the sheer audacity of Cianci's City Hall, whose stewards, as described in Prince of Providence, ran a criminal enterprise of kickbacks, shakedowns and threats worthy of ''The Sopranos.'' Try not laughing at Tommy Ricci, a contractor who is almost proud of his payoffs: ''All I did was give kickbacks. Is that a crime or what?'' Try not shaking your head over characters with nicknames like Buckles, Blackjack, Bobo and Billy Black. (What's with all the B's?) Try not wondering how the good citizens of Providence could be so improvident, electing Cianci six times from 1974 to 1998 to make him the longest-serving mayor in their history. He might well have won their hearts again in 2002 had he not been on his way to the slammer. — Clyde Haberman
― daria g (daria g), Saturday, 7 February 2004 21:16 (twenty-two years ago)
The Quotable James A. Traficant
"I want you to disregard all the opposing counsel has said. I think they're delusionary. I think they've had something funny for lunch in their meal, I think they should be handcuffed, chained to a fence and flogged, and all of their hearsay evidence should be thrown the hell out. And if they lie again, I'm going to go over there and kick them in the crotch. Thank you very much." — Traficant's closing statement to the ethics panel.
"If you don't get those cameras out of my face, I'm gonna go 8.6 on the Richter scale with gastric emissions that'll clear this room!" — Traficant to photojournalists covering his House ethics subcommittee hearing.
― daria g (daria g), Saturday, 7 February 2004 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)
ha ha, Eisbar. How do you decide how to vote?? I can't vote Democrat because they're, like, totally corrupt, but I can't bring myself to vote Republican. I also won't vote for any candidate who campaigns by driving around neighborhoods in cars and yelling stuff.
Mind you, um, I never registered to vote here in the first place. Oops.
― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Saturday, 7 February 2004 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)
― tokyo rosemary (rosemary), Saturday, 7 February 2004 21:24 (twenty-two years ago)
― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Saturday, 7 February 2004 21:36 (twenty-two years ago)
― Eisbär (llamasfur), Saturday, 7 February 2004 22:17 (twenty-two years ago)