But does he support the troops at West Beverly High?
I usually like to avoid "what if the other side had done this?" formulations... but ferreals, can you imagine if Barack Obama had given the most important speech of his campaign in front of an image that he thought was Walter Reed Medical Center and it turned out to be Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood? The right-wing echo chamber would eat him alive, with able assistance by the mainstream media.
It's another example of how wedded the media is to its narratives. This gaffe in Obama's hands would supposedly highlight his inexperience in military matters. Since McCain's experience is taken for granted, it's less likely to get the same kind of traction (though in fact there's a strong case to be made for McCain's profound ignorance on important national security matters).
But there is a negative narrative about McCain that this fuck up might feed into nicely: his ineptitude. As one TPM reader puts it: did anyone vet this image?
At a minimum, it's another green screen for the Colbert Nation.
Comments
I have to say that I don't understand why they'd want a picture of the real Walter Reed either. At the section of the speech where this image was up, McCain wasn't talking about vets (or schools). It was just boilerplate about political reform. What were they thinking?
Posted by: radosh | September 5, 2008 12:55 PM
A possible alternate explanation as to what McCain was thinking.
Posted by: Vance | September 5, 2008 1:08 PM
I honestly did think it was one of his houses. No more perplexing than any other aspect of his candidacy. Also loved the obvious canned audience sweetening in the live feed.
Posted by: J.D. | September 5, 2008 2:07 PM
Suggestion:
Giant close-up images of porn would effectively distract listeners from the seriously poor delivery and freekish movement of those broken shoulders. Yes I appreciate how he got them, I do. But it still makes him seem so... diminished. He needs to keep his hands below waist level. And those times when he suddenly remembers he should be smiling. Christ.
But props to the people making the video on Cindy. Truly. She apparently doesn't cake on the makeup when theh blood and pus is flying. She came across as the more heroic figure. She should run for office when he loses.
Posted by: pessimist | September 5, 2008 2:31 PM
Add Walter Reed Middle School to the long list of musicians, artists and middle schools who seem perturbed that McCain has appropriated their work for his campaign without their permission.
Posted by: Vance | September 5, 2008 4:54 PM
Whose idea was it to make the majority of his speech look like a screen test for a new Star Wars movie, anyway?
Posted by: Dave | September 5, 2008 7:03 PM
Apparently, the campaign claims they were going for generic "Americana" - a school, a front porch, etc and didn't really want WR Med Ctr.
Posted by: therblig | September 5, 2008 8:16 PM
screwed up link:
http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq302/enoch_needles/PalinMcCain.jpg
Posted by: therblig | September 5, 2008 8:21 PM
Apparently this high school is a known location for TV shows and movies, but still, the West Wing connection is just...odd.
Anon
Posted by: Anon | September 5, 2008 10:09 PM
Pursuant to my call above for a cease-and-desist list: Add Heart to it.
Posted by: Vance | September 5, 2008 11:17 PM
Another for the used-without-permission list: American Flags.
Posted by: Vance | September 7, 2008 12:01 AM
A friend and I whenever we heard the song "Barracuda" would sing instead "bare your cooter." We did camp and pee in the woods and occasionally wear lipstick -- me for theatrical purposes, he to satisfy more esoteric longings.
Posted by: J.D. | September 8, 2008 9:28 AM