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How Hollywood Killed John Kerry
National Post ^ | Wednesday, November 10, 2004 | Barbara Kay

Posted on 11/10/2004 2:52:41 PM PST by rickmichaels

May one gloat if one was right? Indulge me. Last December, in a review of retiring Georgia Senator Zell Miller's book about the Democratic Party, A National Party No More, I concluded that "the Republicans will not only canter into power in 2004, the Democratic party may find itself on the verge of a total meltdown." I knew Miller got it right when he said it was all about values.

The dichotomy between the parties' values is nowhere better illustrated than in their respective assessments of celebrity entertainers. John Kerry over-estimated their influence and embraced them, while George W. Bush took their real political measure and demonized them.

When CNN's Aaron Brown was asked if he could isolate a tipping point in the campaign, he said it was the moment, during last year's Super Bowl halftime show, when the bodice of Janet Jackson's costume "accidentally" ripped, exposing her breast on network television. It wasn't the tawdriness of the ploy or her transparently bogus embarrassment that so rankled ordinary people; it was the fact that it happened on their turf.

Social conservatives, including evangelical Christians, live and let live when it comes to Hollywood. Trash-talking rappers and bimbos can do what they like on MTV. But the Super Bowl is Middle America territory. Jackson crossed a critical line. In her exhibitionism, the culture of prurience she emblemizes invaded conservative homes. They felt ambushed, even a little violated. Urban sophisticates found the incident and the blowback it generated hilarious, a tempest in a teapot. Instead of reading the righteous anger of moralists as tea leaves, they mocked it.

Entertainers were almost universally anti-Bush. Their presence in the media and at rallies guaranteed a wide audience for their views. The enormous publicity generated by Al Franken's book and radio show, and Michael Moore's hugely successful movies, created a sense of invincibility amongst the Democratic party faithful. Even many conservatives were sucked into the despairing belief that an unstoppable juggernaut had been created by Fahrenheit 9/11, and the ubiquitous Hollywood spokespeople urging support for Kerry.

What Democrat organizers failed to realize was that most Wal-mart Americans have no respect for entertainers beyond their ability to entertain. Kerry made a huge mistake at a star-studded rally when he said that Hollywood "is the heart and soul of America." This was moments after Whoopi Goldberg had made such crudely obscene allusions to the President's name that even her colleagues winced. Identifying himself with these boorish antics was foolish. That Kerry's team didn't realize it was foolish speaks volumes about their alienation from the real "heart and soul" of their nation.

Perhaps the worst decision was to invite the Dixie Chicks to perform with Bruce Springsteen in the final days of the campaign. Last year their lead singer, Natalie Maines, announced at a London concert that she was "ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." Anti-Bushism at home is one thing; sucking up to foreigners and currying favour by feeding their anti-Americanism is another. Country music fans are a patriotic bunch. Radio stations boycotted their music, and radio talk shows hummed with anti-Chicks rancour. The Dixie Chicks may well have tipped the balance in Ohio.

Then there was the MTV "Rock the Vote" celebrity advocate program, featuring such political luminaries as Drew Barrymore, Robert Downey Jr. and P. Diddy ("C'mon y'all. Please let's get hip hop on [Bush and Kerry's] ass"). Instead of being charmed, Walmart Americans were disgusted that ditzy screwballs, dope addicts and thug-culture yahoos were preaching civic duty to them, the pillars of society. Bush cannily introduced the phrase "Hollywood values" to his stump-speech ridicule of the Democrats, and got rave responses.

The Democrats are fascinated with entertainers because, for them too, success is more about performance than deeply held convictions. Kerry was perceived to have won all three debates, which aroused unrealistic expectations. What the Dems didn't grasp was that most voters don't assess character on the basis of verbal performance -- any actor can act, after all -- but on the ability to connect with their core beliefs, at which Bush excels, but Kerry routinely stumbles.

That Kerry considered pop entertainers value added to his campaign is an indication of his superficiality and his ignorance about the country he hoped to lead. When Bruce Springsteen pumped up the crowds, shouting that Kerry embodied the ideals of "who we are, what we stand for, what we fight for," Kerry beamed and crowed: "It doesn't get better than this."

In truth, it didn't get better than that. Who's The Boss now?


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: activistactors; boycotthollywood; culturewar; defundtheleft; democrats; hollywood; shutupandsing; usefulidiots
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To: rickmichaels
The Democrats are fascinated with entertainers because, for them too, success is more about performance than deeply held convictions. Kerry was perceived to have won all three debates, which aroused unrealistic expectations. What the Dems didn't grasp was that most voters don't assess character on the basis of verbal performance -- any actor can act, after all -- but on the ability to connect with their core beliefs, at which Bush excels, but Kerry routinely stumbles.

Hillary can't win without Hollywood and the MSM so maybe the country is safe from her presidency. I doubt that she will have Dan Rather in place to cheerlead her into the oval office.

61 posted on 11/10/2004 3:54:14 PM PST by Republican Babe (God bless America.)
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To: CFC__VRWC; Shermy

Reading your lists of Kerry's arsenal of bullets he shot in his own foot, how is it he got the number of votes he did? Man, that's disturbing.


62 posted on 11/10/2004 3:56:46 PM PST by ntnychik
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To: CFC__VRWC
Picking out the one thing Kerry did to lose the election is kind of like trying to pick the one raindrop that caused the dam to breach.

Ah, so. *bowing* You are wise beyond your years, FRiend.

63 posted on 11/10/2004 3:56:49 PM PST by Prime Choice (Hey-hey! Ho-ho! Arlen Specter's gotta go!)
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To: rickmichaels

Hollywood, make my day:

Please -- oh, please -- give Moore the Best Picture Oscar and completely ignore Mel Gibson.


64 posted on 11/10/2004 3:57:30 PM PST by aculeus
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To: rickmichaels

The key word here is ''performance''. Im an actor and I just never believed the guy! I DIDNT BELEIVE IT when I SAW shots of him in church HES PRO choice ,said he didnt beleive in the churchs teachings] I didnt believe him when he said he was a hunter[he bought a hunting jacket the night before and would go nowhere near the dead goose. Made his flunkie carry it for him] But the kicker for me was when I heard him say in some speech that he would hunt down and kill the terrorists [the next day he said we would have to pass a global test].......No something about this guy just didnt ring true for me so I must sadly conclude Kerry to me was a B movie all the way and like so many B movies today wont even make it to the movie theatres! Kerry will go STRAIGHT TO VIDEO!


65 posted on 11/10/2004 3:58:07 PM PST by Bush gal in LA (Armed with what? SPITBALLS? Zell Miller)
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To: rickmichaels

"Entertainers {are} almost universally anti-Bush." Entertainers are genetically damaged personalities who are unable to mature, unable to grow up. They spend the majority of their alleged adult lives pretending to be other people. Virtually every time we get to see/hear one speak on his/her own, we find that we are watching/listening to a complete moron.


66 posted on 11/10/2004 4:02:14 PM PST by Continental Soldier
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To: Shermy
The gratuitous murder of an innocent goose did Kerry in.

LOL!! The most transparent part of Kerrrys campaign; "Where can I get me a huntin' license?"

67 posted on 11/10/2004 4:05:18 PM PST by cardinal4 (W's 3.5 million pop vote isnt a mandate, but algores .5 million is??)
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To: Dems_R_Losers

I love Sara Evans.


68 posted on 11/10/2004 4:07:41 PM PST by merry10
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To: CFC__VRWC

I live in the Simi Valley library area - and the lines were 8 - 10 hours long. He might have won some hearts and minds if he stayed in the line with the rest of the people. (I did NOT stay in the line).


69 posted on 11/10/2004 4:10:05 PM PST by merry10
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To: Bush gal in LA

Welcome to Free Republic!


70 posted on 11/10/2004 4:12:33 PM PST by merry10
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To: ntnychik
Reading your lists of Kerry's arsenal of bullets he shot in his own foot, how is it he got the number of votes he did? Man, that's disturbing.

Yeah, but looking at this analysis, I wonder if the kind of (lack of) thought that gave Kerry as many votes as he got reached its high water mark back in 2000. Two elections a trend doesn't make, but the hard left sure acts and sounds like it's on its deathbed, and knows it.

71 posted on 11/10/2004 4:13:38 PM PST by CFC__VRWC (It's not evidence of wrongdoing just because Democrats don't like the outcome.)
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To: rickmichaels

Great article, thanks for posting it.


72 posted on 11/10/2004 4:14:41 PM PST by diamond6 (Everyone who is for abortion has already been born. Ronald Reagan)
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To: merry10
I live in the Simi Valley library area - and the lines were 8 - 10 hours long. He might have won some hearts and minds if he stayed in the line with the rest of the people. (I did NOT stay in the line).

The cutting in line part didn't bother me as much as the fact that he brought a damned photographer with him. That just made it clear that he was only there for the photo-op, and with that the cutting in line was intolerable, seeing as (like you said) people waited all day in line to pay genuine respects to President Reagan.

73 posted on 11/10/2004 4:16:50 PM PST by CFC__VRWC (It's not evidence of wrongdoing just because Democrats don't like the outcome.)
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Comment #74 Removed by Moderator

To: CFC__VRWC
he was only there for the photo-op

Not to mention his "thumbs up" photo as he drove off.

75 posted on 11/10/2004 4:21:03 PM PST by just me (Over 59,000,000 Americans voted not to negotiate with terrorist.....)
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To: Airborne Longhorn

I'm just a poor boy
Nobody loves me


76 posted on 11/10/2004 4:21:19 PM PST by MsGail61
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To: rickmichaels

Let me add my name to the list of people mildly peeved at the "Wal-Mart" imagery. I voted for Bush. I'm a college grad, fond of rock, country and opera and can hold my own in "femmey" conversations about art, philosophy, etc. I'm not trying to sound like a cocky jerk (too late!) I'm just saying this because I've had it up to here with the assumption that "mainstream" Americans are somehow yokels. The Democrats have done such a good job with their propoganda it seems even some Republicans buy into that image.


77 posted on 11/10/2004 4:22:52 PM PST by MadAnthony (Wile E Coyote: The new symbol of the Democratic Party)
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To: MadAnthony

Yeah, I'm more of a Target person.


78 posted on 11/10/2004 4:23:51 PM PST by MsGail61
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To: Airborne Longhorn

MAGNIFICO-O-O-O!


79 posted on 11/10/2004 4:24:59 PM PST by Buck W. (How can anyone who works for a living vote democrat?)
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To: nosurrender
What about Ahnold? or Ronald Reagan? Aren't they from Hollywood?

Perhaps this isn't a serious question. Surely you know the answer to it nevertheless.

80 posted on 11/10/2004 4:34:35 PM PST by ladyinred (Congratulations President Bush! Four more years!)
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