Obama's "Fake Girlfriend" Non-controversy
May 4, 2012 2:20 AM Subscribe
Politico exposes - then semi-retracts - a non-story about Obama making up a girlfriend in his autobiography. Which is, of course, picked up and regurgitated ad nauseam by receptive media outlets.
A particularly weak non-story to highlight, and I would feel hesitant about posting this except that I also found in my Facebook stream this morning a particularly weak YouTube video purporting to show "53 Seconds that Should End a Presidency".
Is it me, or are these two examples - and the recent "eating dog" non-controversy - signs of the utter trivialisation of the presidential campaign? Is this what we have to look forward to for the next six months?
A particularly weak non-story to highlight, and I would feel hesitant about posting this except that I also found in my Facebook stream this morning a particularly weak YouTube video purporting to show "53 Seconds that Should End a Presidency".
Is it me, or are these two examples - and the recent "eating dog" non-controversy - signs of the utter trivialisation of the presidential campaign? Is this what we have to look forward to for the next six months?
This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster request -- vacapinta
By which I mean, that first link seems to go to a video of Serbian turbofolk, rather than anything to do with Politico.
posted by bakerybob at 2:26 AM on May 4, 2012
posted by bakerybob at 2:26 AM on May 4, 2012
No, suddenly it's clear! Obama's girlfriend : autobiography :: Kawasaki : Eastern Europe.
WAKE UP SHEEPLE.
posted by Graygorey at 2:30 AM on May 4, 2012
WAKE UP SHEEPLE.
posted by Graygorey at 2:30 AM on May 4, 2012
This is pretty editorialized—isn't that what the comments are for? I'm not trying to call you out specifically, LondonYank, I just really value MeFi's normal tendency to strive for neutrality in the main post.
posted by reductiondesign at 2:31 AM on May 4, 2012
posted by reductiondesign at 2:31 AM on May 4, 2012
Ah damnit. Right on both the bad URL front and the editorialising - please delete.
/ need more coffee
posted by LondonYank at 2:32 AM on May 4, 2012
/ need more coffee
posted by LondonYank at 2:32 AM on May 4, 2012
Wait - Obama faked his relationship with Rambo Amadeus?
Damn.
posted by running order squabble fest at 2:47 AM on May 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
Damn.
posted by running order squabble fest at 2:47 AM on May 4, 2012 [2 favorites]
Is it November yet? I'm already exhausted.
posted by wittgenstein at 2:49 AM on May 4, 2012
posted by wittgenstein at 2:49 AM on May 4, 2012
@psolo, barybob
SHHHHHHHHH!
Dude's totally right. The inane crap he's talking about is the state of presidential politics in the USA, circa 2012. Let's just let the Serbian turbofolk drown our misery.
@LondonYank
Sry to say but yes, I think you're right and that's how trivial politics is these days. Informative link.
posted by eurypteris at 2:52 AM on May 4, 2012
SHHHHHHHHH!
Dude's totally right. The inane crap he's talking about is the state of presidential politics in the USA, circa 2012. Let's just let the Serbian turbofolk drown our misery.
@LondonYank
Sry to say but yes, I think you're right and that's how trivial politics is these days. Informative link.
posted by eurypteris at 2:52 AM on May 4, 2012
@bakerybob*. Also sorry LondonYank if by chance you aren't a he.
posted by eurypteris at 2:54 AM on May 4, 2012
posted by eurypteris at 2:54 AM on May 4, 2012
In fairness, the Serbian Turbofolk made me far more entertained than I suspect the actual link would have.
posted by jaduncan at 2:54 AM on May 4, 2012
posted by jaduncan at 2:54 AM on May 4, 2012
It's going to be a tiresome jaunt to the election, isn't it.
posted by HuronBob at 2:58 AM on May 4, 2012
posted by HuronBob at 2:58 AM on May 4, 2012
I am a he.
By the way, the link I intended on posting is here.
Clearly the earlier Reddit music post had a profound effect upon me!
posted by LondonYank at 3:00 AM on May 4, 2012
By the way, the link I intended on posting is here.
Clearly the earlier Reddit music post had a profound effect upon me!
posted by LondonYank at 3:00 AM on May 4, 2012
Wrong link, right link, it doesn't matter. Obama said in the book's intro that some people in the book were composites. The bigger news - as found in the love letters to girlfriends that have just been surfaced - is his finding some attractive conservative principles in the writings of TS Eliot.
posted by peacay at 3:00 AM on May 4, 2012
posted by peacay at 3:00 AM on May 4, 2012
Waiting for the magic delete to occur. I have accepted the death of this post. Now we are all just saying goodbye.
posted by LondonYank at 3:06 AM on May 4, 2012
posted by LondonYank at 3:06 AM on May 4, 2012
Is it me, or are these two examples - and the recent "eating dog" non-controversy - signs of the utter trivialisation of the presidential campaign? Is this what we have to look forward to for the next six months?
Hey, you must have forgotten how ridiculous and petty the last election was. Remember Joe the Plumber? "Lipstick on a pig"? Everyone at the RNC running down Obama for having been a 'community organizer'? Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright? Karl Rove's anti-ACORN scaremongering?
In this post-Citizens United world, this campaign will probably be ten times worse.
posted by Fritz Langwedge at 3:12 AM on May 4, 2012
Hey, you must have forgotten how ridiculous and petty the last election was. Remember Joe the Plumber? "Lipstick on a pig"? Everyone at the RNC running down Obama for having been a 'community organizer'? Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright? Karl Rove's anti-ACORN scaremongering?
In this post-Citizens United world, this campaign will probably be ten times worse.
posted by Fritz Langwedge at 3:12 AM on May 4, 2012
And I thought our elections/mayoral elections were bad. Results are coming in today. Should be interesting, although I doubt voting for anyone makes any fucking difference anymore.
Also, I vote (lol) to keep this. It is like some bizarre internet art.
posted by marienbad at 3:16 AM on May 4, 2012
Also, I vote (lol) to keep this. It is like some bizarre internet art.
posted by marienbad at 3:16 AM on May 4, 2012
I would hazard to say that the unintended link says more about the state of American politics than the intended link.
posted by ZaneJ. at 3:25 AM on May 4, 2012
posted by ZaneJ. at 3:25 AM on May 4, 2012
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posted by bakerybob at 2:25 AM on May 4, 2012