Pop Politics

The word “politics” has always been associated with a connotation of boredom and dull news. Throughout history many Americans have been more than disinterested on politics, numerous people didn’t care enough participate in political discourse issues or research political topics. However in modern political communication candidates have mixed with popular culture ideals and twisted into a strange cocktail of amusement and information. Political candidates now must portray a representation of themselves that fit pop cultural roles and mannerisms as well as be able to let the whole world mock them and their policies. Entertainment pop culture helps promote political participation, but leads voters to make unformed decisions after viewing political spoof show’s interpretation of candidates and policies. The Saturday Night Live skit featuring Will Ferrell and Tina Fey as George Bush and Sarah Palin describes the idea of braiding political figures with contemporary popular culture ideology.

The skit begins with Will Ferrell playing George W. Bush and addressing the nation as the president while attempting to endorse the McCain campaign. Ferrell starts by explaining that he has decided to talk at night because when he speaks during the day, the stock market dips. Mr. President also explains that there is an important election coming up with some very talented candidates, “the hot girl and the Tiger Woods guy.” The president continues to ignorantly verbalize his climbing approval ratings, which in truth were not rising at all. Will Ferrell illustrates all of George W. Bush stereotypes, of ignorance, arrogance, and just plain stupidity. Through these imitations American’s at first sight judgments of their president are upheld and reinforced, they really begin to believe that George W. Bush is extremely unintelligent. Ferrell also plays on George W. Bush’s apparent public speaking tribulations by squinting his eyes and rocking his head back and forth. While the president explains the hardships he had getting John McCain to appear for a public endorsement, Tina Fey as Sara Palin enters the Oval Office, blows the audience a kiss to the audience and suggestively sits on the President’s desk. She crosses her legs and has an inviting smile on her face when the President asks where is John McCain? Palin explains that the minute he heard that President Bush wanted to publicly endorse him for the presidential election, McCain could not be found. He was apparently last seen on foot in the Adirondacks, but not to worry Sarah Palin’s husband and some of his “drinking buddies” were tracking him on snowmobiles. Will Ferrell then again portrays Bush’s lack of knowledge for the American political system by stating that the president can’t do anything without the approval of the vice-president. Palin apologetically explains to him that is incorrect but doesn’t want to get all “Katie Couric” on him, all of the sudden Palin’s husband bursts in the office, snow gear and all, with rescued Senator McCain. President Bush immediately grabs him, while McCain aggressively draws away from Bush, and proclaims his endorsement for the McCain Palin presidential candidate. The president explains that a vote for John McCain is a vote for President Bush, while Sarah Palin floats behind them, smiling like a beauty queen.

Actors like Tina Fey and Will Ferrell examine political candidates in order to learn mannerisms that could be use to mock their public image. They take advantage of every public stereotype and manipulate them into their portrayal of the candidates. Sarah Palin for example was shown prancing into the room, blowing kisses and looking very sexy. She immediately placed herself suggestively onto the oval office desk, as to appear very at home and comfortable. She answered the President’s questions on the where abouts of John McCain without hesitation, never wondering why he was not there. Tina Fey demonstrated Sara Palin as her stereotypical images, beautiful, charming, and completely unaware of any sort of public policy. Will Ferrell as plays strongly to President Bush’s biggest weakness, being in the public eye. Ferrell is often very awkward and seem oblivious to people or things around him, most of the time he just acts dumb. The worst part about Ferrell’s illustration is the portrayal that every policy The Bush Administration implemented had a negative effect on our country. Not only is this completely false but incredibly disrespectful to George W. Bush, who was, as I will remind them, the president during the worst terrorist attack in our countries history and re-elected to the presidential office the next term.

The blending of popular culture and politics is unavoidable and we can never stop comedians for mocking public figures. Saturday Night Live, I would personally argue, is one of the best comedy shows on television and their use of politically motivated content helps to increase political awareness and mobilize voters, but increase awareness of what? The beauty of our American democracy is the fact that our country is built upon the ideas of freedom of speech and open political discussion, so it is possible for shows like SNL to completely mock the federal government and its officials. The problem at hand is programs like SNL are entertainment shows and are viewed more often by the American public then news stations like CNN or CSPAN. The majority of the American public is not intelligently involved in political discourse and even more citizens are unwilling to take part in deliberative, unpartisan discussion about political issues. They instead take political information and make policy decisions based off of programs like SNL and The Soup. Our political society learns to believe political figures are indeed just sexy, stupid women that think being Vice President involves sipping martinis and playing golf. These portrayals demoralize women in politics by performing Sarah Palin as a soccer mom, when in fact she is a very smart, articulate, and politically savvy women who is strong in grass root issues and very personable with her constituents. President Bush is undoubtedly the center of political entertainment ridicule; he has been called every name in the book. George W. Bush was not the best public speaker, not like Obama who just stands up and says jump, and the whole country replies how high. He was however the President of the United States, a position that should be giving respect, just as we respect President Obama. This does not mean that we are not at liberty to challenge our leader, but we always do it politely. President Bush was an Ivy League graduate and attended Harvard Business School; he is far from stupid. As an American voter I would much prefer a president that is not afraid to make controversial and difficult decisions, then a leader who is more concerned with keeping up his celebrity status.

American democracy allows for mainstream popular culture entertainment to use modern political content, and even humorously mock public officials. We as Americans have the right to freedom of expression and broadcast networks are not politically motivated, which in turn permits healthy political dialogue. Entertainment programs like Saturday Night Live are very funny and I promote their use of political policy on their programs because it encourages voter participation, but as a political society we ought to promote the message that SNL’s political communication is meant for mere entertainment value. They should not be taken seriously or applied to political decision-making, and unfortunately many people believe that these performances are politically viable. Also the teasing of political figures must be done tastefully and respectfully, no genderizing of candidates, men or women, they should be ridiculed in the same manner. The most important factor involved with mixing pop culture with progressive politics is educating the masses to realize that these political charades are not real! We as a political and intellectual culture should laugh at Saturday Night Live but take American politics seriously.

Gender in Contrast Political Advertising

The 2008 American Presidential election is one for the history books. No one can argue that this exciting time brought up numerous issues never witnessed in any previous election. The front-runner of these controversial topics was gender and how it will affect our political culture. Is the United States of America ready for Mrs. President? The idea of a woman becoming the commander of the free world was a transformation. Several voters were apprehensive about, but candidate Hillary Clinton learned to twisted this negative position toward women in politics to her favor using some very clever contrast political advertisements. The controversial advertisement that illustrated Senator Clinton capturing control of her gender role was the “It’s 3am and the White House phone is ringing.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yr7odFUARg&feature=PlayList&p=301C61E4EB19FEF5&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=15. This commercial combined the concept of a contrasting political advertising and women’s power in politics.

When the commercial begins we hear a quiet telephone ringing and the picture flashes to a beautiful serene middle-class house. We travel into the house and gaze upon several children sleeping peacefully with a delicate ringing in the darkness. The children seem so innocent and helpless, almost as though they need to be protected. The narrator explains that it is 3am and our American children are safe and asleep, but “there is a phone is ringing in the White House and there is something going on in the world.” This dooming message promotes fear for these defenseless children implying that they might not be safe forever, unless someone powerful answers this fateful call. The speaker encourages viewers to make an important choice that determines who answers this critical phone call by asking who would you want answering this phone call? “Someone who already knows the world’s leaders, who knows the military,” and who most significantly has experience in dangerous leadership situations. The obvious answer to these imperative questions is, yes! Of course we want a leader that is acknowledged and respected throughout the world! We absolutely want someone that can recognize and responsibly manage a political or economic crisis. The audience wishes to defend American children, but in order to shelter them, citizens require a very influential and powerful leader. The phone continues to chime as the listeners feel apprehension about the delicate children security, but suddenly the children’s mother tiptoes into their room with the intention of caring for her young ones. The commercial demonstrates that America needs maternal armor. Finally the light of America comes on and our experienced and brave motherly guardian, Hillary Clinton, answers the call of duty. This ingenious commercial completely flips the gendered hesitation about women in powerful political roles and provides evidence to prove that only an experienced mother could handle the job.

Through out the 2008 campaign the subject of gender was always looming in the backdrops, all voters realized that change was inevitable but no one really knew how exactly the change would effect our culture. A woman commander and chief would revolutionize our whole political structure. It would uproot centuries of masculine leadership image tradition and sincerely put our country’s trust to the test. It’s an age-old question; can a woman encompass all the required skills to command the free world? Can she ever be as good as a man? Most of these reservations, as ridiculous as they are, have been entrenched in our culture ever since our founding fathers wrote the Constitution. Through gender concerns the male candidates have an unspoken advantage over any female candidate, because American voters are uneasy about a woman leader. The 2008 election was a very monumental period for women in politics because it demonstrated that America is growing up and evolving gendered basis of political figures. Even though Hillary Clinton didn’t win a nomination she was nevertheless perceived as a valuable and legitimate candidate and that is an immense stride for women’s political image.

Hillary Clinton was constantly blasted by negative and contrast political ads throughout the campaign not only for being a woman but also for serving as the former First Lady. The 3am ad was a very controversial and effective ad that produced some political turbulence. This advertisement was so shrewd because it captured all these negative connotations about female leadership and completely distorted them into an affirmative representation, along with damaging the creditability of Barack Obama. She progressed away from the concept of a masculine leader and molded the presidential role into a motherly protector that is persistently guarding her children. This gendered maternal initiative is comforting to Americans just as we are reassured by the thought of our own mother watching over us while we sleep; we feel safe and secure. A mother is a model of someone who will always be there for you even at 3am, and this portrayal is precisely what Americans to feel protected. Through this ad Hilary Clinton used social gender positions to her advantage in order to persuade Americans to perceive her as America’s mother, which is a job only an experienced mother could succeed at. She also threw the unique and powerful emotion of a mother’s love into the mix and according to Hollihan, “most consultants believed it was vitally important to reach voters with emotional appeal, and that the appearance and images mattered substantially more did extensive amounts of information.” (Hollihan 154) A mother’s role is usually a caregiver, an individual that permanently acts in their child’s best interest, a mother grizzly that fights fearlessly for her cub. The momma bear image began to influence Americans that perhaps a woman’s touch is exactly what we need in the Oval Office.

The 3am contrast ad also preformed an influential role in questioning Obama’s ability to lead our country. Even though the ad never spoke Barack Obama’s name, it nonetheless shaped an inexperienced and naïve portrait of him as a leader. Hillary Clinton established that she had lived in the White House before, she had encountered and conversed with world leaders and several were familiar with her policies and were in reliance with her. She has already experienced the pressures of existing in the public spotlight while working to promote a positive female political icon. Clinton has previously survived through a presidential campaign and term and with a pro like Bill Clinton at her side she can’t go wrong. Most importantly she slammed Obama’s weakest aspect in his presidential push, experience. The majority of the American voters had never even seen Barack Obama prior to his leap on the scene and promises of political, social, and economic change. We had by no means observed any of his political policies or any governmental achievements. Obama was a self-proclaimed candidate that had a way with words and an unbelievable presence. People were hypnotized by his speech but numerous groups still asked, where did this guy come from? He is younger and certainly does not come from a family of political enforcement; even his personal history as a citizen was questioned. A large fraction of the political community doubted his ability to lead as a consequence of his extreme deficit of political relationships and his scarce familiarity among foreign affairs. The Hillary Clinton 3am contrast political advertisement danced on every one of Americans’ insecurities about Barack Obama and planted a strong seed of doubt.

The 3am ad served as a perfect example of a tremendously effective political contrast ad that flipped negative gender roles into a radical new interpretation of women leaders. This ad shifted Americans’ vision of delicate women directors into a fresh attitude of motherly bravery and attention. The ad encompasses various significant and unspoken political communications into thirty seconds of flashing illustrations and anxious sound that not only presents innovative political gender designs but also simultaneously undercuts the opponent’s ability to adequately compete.

Work Cited

Hollihan, Thomas. Uncivil Wars: Political Campaigns of the Media Age. 2nd. Boston: Bedford/St.Martin's, 2008. Print.

Hollywood’s Influence on Masculine Presidential Image

The President of the United States is the most honored title in the world. American war movies smear outbreaks of chaotic panic with people darting through the streets shouting for help. In such turmoil, terrified citizens look to their leader, their savor, their President. In these movies the President is usually a strapping male hero, a silver fox that is confident and inspiring. In these moments of mayhem he draws Americans together and performs an awe-inspiring speech that somehow the entire country can hear. This remarkable speech motivates citizens to keep their chin up and work together to have a successful future. The movie The American President portrays this masculine image of a no nonsense president that not only defends his honor but the honor of a young woman as well. This film demonstrates the popular culture painting of the ultra masculine presidential image that is a powerful protector and never displays weakness, but yet a hopeless romantic who treats every woman like a princess.

The American President is a romantic comedy that stars Michael Douglas as the popular, attractive, and intelligent President Andrew Shepard who is still morning the death of his wife to cancer. During his reelection campaign Shepard encounters the fiery, sexy lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade, played by Annette Bening, and strikes a deal to support her environmental bill only if she finds ten more votes for his anti-crime legislation. In their dramatic meeting sparks fly like fireworks and President develops feelings for Wade. He attempts to keep his actions professional but he invites her to a state dinner at the White House and begins to fall in love with her. As the campaign season takes off Shepard’s opponent Bob Rumson stumbles upon their forbidden relationship and begins to reveal Sydney’s secret past in order to question incumbent, Shepard’s, character. The President gets labeled a “wussy” for not responding to these relentless attacks and Wade loses her job as a lobbyist. The most famous scene in the movie takes place when the President’s press secretary is answering questions from the media and one sassy reporter inquires if the president will ever respond to Senator Rumson accusations, suddenly Andrew Shepard burst into the newsroom followed by a train of stunned looking people and shouted “Yes he will!” He immediately commands the reporters’ attention and starts aggressively speaking. He begins by defending his title as President and his character as a man, “I can tell you without hesitation that being president of The United States is entirely about character.” While the stunted journalists gaze unblinkingly up to him his face softens for a moment while he threatens if, “you want a character debate Bob then you better stick with me, because Sydney Ellen Wade is way out of your league “ Finally he stands up tall, looks directly in the camera at the audience and announces, “you want to talk about character and American values that’s fine, just tell me where and when and I’ll show up. This is a time for serious people Bob and your fifteen minutes is up. My name is Andrew Shepard and I am The President!”

Andrew Shepard is the ultimate masculine illusion of the presidential image. He is smart, humble, strong, handsome, and respectful. He selflessly fights for what is best for his country and is always honest with his continents. Shepard never lets others influence his decisions or opinions; he is the boss, end of discussion. When he kicked down the door into the White House newsroom he proved to his audience that he will decide when to respond and doesn’t need anyone to advise him on what to say, he always knows what to say. Shepard embodies the prefect president, one that we can always respect but at the same time be his friend or maybe even his lover. He stands up for the woman he loves and represents a protector, almost daring Rumson the mess with her. Any woman would be lucky to have a powerful, passionate man like him. Andrew Shepard also confirms that being The President of The United States is not a job for the faint of heart, it calls for “serious people that make serious decisions.” Shepard exemplifies every character trait that our society values in a President.

Films like The American President reinforce outdated, extremely traditional images of a presidential figure. We as a culture constantly have this ideal icon of what a president should be, how he ought to appear physically and how he should act emotionally. This hyper-masculine representation is detrimental to the political growth of our society and frankly incredibly unrealistic. It completely extinguishes women leaders by implying that women need production and that they would never be tough enough to command a nation like Andrew Shepard. In the motion picture Air Force One Glenn Close serves as the female Vice President when terrorist hijacks the President’s plane, during the crisis she does not take control, she gives no inspiring speech, and she is a mess. These types of movie roles deceive the American public into believing that popular political gender stereotypes are reality. Due to these one-sided media roles American modern political culture is less likely to elect a woman into office, and if a female candidate produced any aggressive or authoritative behavior she was be label “crazy” or “bitchy” not unlike Hillary Clinton. In American political history citizens have usually elected an alpha male leader that supported many masculine political platforms like military strength or that contained hostile wartime agendas. We as a society have learned to conform to the idea that men are better leaders because they are stronger and more assertive do to characters roles like Andrew Shepard.

The American President also shows a very interesting side of American political culture and the sexualization of the presidential illustration. Andrew Shepard is a very attractive man that is also powerful, he knows what he wants and defends the people he cares about. In the movie he falls in love with a beautiful woman and respects her even if her past is not so innocent. Andrew Shepard is any woman’s dream. In American political society presidents have worked to make their image more sexual toward women, with the thought that if a woman finds them charming and becomes attracted to them, then they will vote for that candidate. Serotypes of women voters include that fact that they vote based on physically attraction toward presidential candidates. Women are socially taught to view presidential hopefuls as assertive powerful men that they can always count on. Women’s role in voting has been a rollercoaster of culture ideals and radical feminist proposals, and with popular culture defining political gender roles for women how will man denominated political culture ever take this female demographic seriously? In the future our society ought to move towards morphing women into a significant political unit not only as candidates but as voters as well.

Influences like movie characters are becoming all too real in our countries political society. Roles like Andrew Shepard instill values in our modern political system that we should have outgrown many decades ago. Americans are still centered on this idea of a perfectly persistent, masculine president. Our reflection of this overly masculine image unfortunately does not usually lead to an Andrew Shepard president or an incredibly selfless leader. Women’s media roles as leaders also convince men and other women that the immense pressure or the authority of sitting in the Oval Office would be too strenuous for a woman to cope with. It implies that women are too weak to lead. If our society continues this twisted popular image of what a leader is suppose to be, we will overlook various unbelievably talented presidents, that may have the most powerful tactic of all, individuality.