The very fact that we have come to expect the State of the Union to entertain us like some kind of Stephen Spielberg movie, while Washington suffers from its lowest approval ratings in history, illustrates the disconnect between imagery and reality.
Am I the only one who’s sick of all the “people as props?”
You know, actual living and breathing human beings fortunate enough to grace the front rows of the congressional seating gallery at every State of the Union address. They might as well be wax mannequins posed in the display window at Macy’s.
People as props are always the same, and last night was no exception. There’s the brave soldier, the teacher, sometimes a police officer or a fireman. Then, just to kick the pants of the political opposition, there’s usually some wax dummy wheeled in for a few seconds of camera time who’s alleged to be the personal beneficiary of the President’s agenda. “So and so lost her health coverage, but thanks to me and what I did, she can now get a liver transplant.”
Applause!
Cheers!
Hooray!
It doesn’t matter who’s in office, it doesn’t matter which party is in control — the props are about as predictable as the words on a presidential teleprompter.
Last night, President Obama recognized a wonderfully brave young man as well as his proud father towards the conclusion of his speech. It was a nice moment. I couldn’t help but be swayed emotionally by the glow in their eyes and the unanimous respect being shown by everyone gathered inside the stately room as well as a grateful nation watching on television. No doubt, that combat soldier who was wounded in Afghanistan deserves our deepest gratitude.
Moreover, I would be in full support of such recognition — even during the business affair known officially as State of the Union address — were it not for this cheap gimmick being used over and over and over again to the point where’s become downright pedestrian. It’s becoming the political equivalent of an Andy Warhol moment. Only, instead of 15 minutes, it’s more like 15 seconds. I mean, who out there hasn’t sat in the President’s private box and been used as a dishrag?
The very fine poker writer Steve Ruddock pointed out, plausibly it seems, that there’s a very good reason why people as props get so overused. They work. Since the attention span of the average American television viewer is so short and every performer is a thumb indentation on the remote control away from history, misty-eyed moments keep us glued to the screen like a soap opera these moments are designed to be.
“Research studies show that people have a stronger response to anecdotal stories more than data,” he writes on Facebook.
President Obama is hardly the first leader to resort to this cheap stunt. It all started with President Ronald Reagan, who used people props as feel-good moments for America. He transformed the State of the Union address into grand theater rather than what the moment should be (in my view), which is a declaration of policies and goals for the coming year. You know, actual substance instead of fluff. Dessert instead of vegetables.
My opinion will certainly be in the minority. People would rather scarf down cotton candy rather than digest green beans. But what’s really best for you? The objective of a State of the Union address shouldn’t be entertainment, which is basically what just about everything has been reduced to. Otherwise, let’s just bring in Cirque du Soleil to juggle some flaming torches while the President talks about being $17 trillion in debt.
No, it’s a serious engagement and a rare opportunity for virtually every leader and major officeholder in the most powerful country in the world to gather inside a room face to face in order to ponder solutions. It’s not a pulpit nor pep rally. It’s a giant board meeting with the commander-in-chief obligated to share with the nation what he intends to do.
The very fact that we have come to expect the State of the Union to entertain us like some kind of Stephen Spielberg movie, while Washington suffers from its lowest approval ratings in history, illustrates the disconnect between imagery and reality. You can’t have it both ways. You want pomp and pizazz — fine. But don’t expect the nation’s problems to get serious attention when the most memorable moment of the night was an invited guest taking a bow to contrived recognition and applause.
Here’s my suggestion: Lose the people props and get down to serious business.