Re: Sentimentality & Cruelty (fwd)

Ted Atkinson (tbatkinson@WORLDNET.ATT.NET)
Tue, 8 Apr 1997 21:21:36 +0000

>> I thought about Al Gore after I had posted my comments. Also, perhaps you
>> recall that in '92 he told the story of his son being struck by a car. The
>> camera even cut to the little boy for a wave as Al looked on "tenderly."
>> The tobacco stuff is maddening. Not only were he and Tipper hosting
>> receptions, but he owns land which he has rented to tobacco farmers for
>> years.
>>
>
>OK, guys. I've had enough of this. I won't quote the particular author
>since I've heard it coming from all sorts of people but since I seem to be
>the only political scientist on the list, let me make my opinions known.
>
>First. My father had dinner with Al Gore in New Orleans, the place where,
>I believe, his son went into surgery after the traffic accident. He did,
>indeed, seem genuinely concerned as any father would. Some of you forget
>that he dropped out of the 1992 presidential campaign to spend more time
>with his family.
>

I won't quote the author either. I did not question his concern; I
questioned his use of the incident for political gain.

>Is he somehow not supposed to express that love? Or include his family in
>his campaign? I'm sure you'll respond that he somehow shamelessly used
>his son on television. Well, what should he have done? Lock them in a
>closet? Plenty of politicians do that. At least he seems to have a
>functional family.

My intention was not to suggest that Al Gore is the only one guilty of
sentimentality in politics, but to use him as an example of the nature of
the game in contemporary political campaigns. My feeling is that he did
shamelessly use his son on television. If that was not your perception,
then we disagree.

>
>I think to focus on the politicians is misguided. They have very
>distinct public and private lives. They have to or they don't survive
>long in either sphere. The place where you should turn your attention is
>television. It doesn't allow for a humanizing interaction. I don't think
>it's fair to criticize someone to bowing to the necessities of the medium
>in which they must campaign to get elected. While his actions on tobacco
>may be hypocritical, Al Gore didn't invent TV. Al Gore doesn't report
>the news. Maybe if we gave him his own twenty inchs in the newspaper
>everyday he wouldn't have to talk in chopped up, emotional sound bites. I
>hear he's personally a likeable guy, and there are plenty of Democrats
>(and admittedly more Republicans) I wouldn't say that about.
>

I agree with you 100 percent: television is the culprit. I simply used
politics as a prime example of how television's not allowing for "humanizing
interaction" has serious consequences. Give him his own twenty inches.
Give him a mile, for all I care. Sound bites are a definite symptom of the
problem, which is why the majority of "well-informed" Americans have a USA
Today understanding of the world and many in the general public don't even
know who Al Gore is.

>We seem as guilty here of that same sentimentality in criticizing his
>personal motives. TV news doesn't communicate a person's real character.
>Why should we expect it to? Believing so gives Hitler's propaganda and
>manufactured gas-chamber sentimentality its true power.
>

I fail to see the link between criticizing Al Gore and being guilty of
sentimentality, but I do agree that television is incapable of communicating
a person's real character. Hell, most people are incapable of communicating
their own character.

As for the rest of the defense of Al Gore and the thoughts on the current
state of the good ol' USA, you're probably right on the mark. Again, I
didn't intend to start a political discussion on the Percy listserv. In the
interest of fairness (and of offending those of the other political
persuasion), we have the Republicans to thank for the deluge of
sentimentality in American politics. Anyone remember "Morning in America"?

I'm with you on the civility part, too. I'm always criticizing "Crossfire"
for glorifying conflict in the name of ratings, and here I am feeling like a
guest.

Ted Atkinson