Clinton, Obama, and Eminem and the Politics of Success

So the race for the ‘08 continues on to May, with the possibility of even reaching into June. While this isn’t much of a surprise to anyone, it continues to captivate the news cycles of the 24 hour networks and most local news.

It is democracy in action, showing the good and the bad of politics. There is plenty of good things coming out of this long primary season, there are more people than ever before showing up to vote and getting involved in the process, and its likely for the first time in years every single state will likely get a say in who the democratic candidate it. (Even Guam-ish voters actually count this year, their primary is on May 3, with four super important delegates at state.)

But its also showing the ugly side of politics. In the six weeks between the last primary and the Pennsylvania one, things became rather nasty, in this morning’s New York Times, the paper that pledged its support behind Clinton attacks her latest ad, which includes an image of Osama bin Laden. "Mrs. Clinton became the first Democratic candidate to wave the bloody shirt of 9/11," they write, adding that it is a tactic that is "torn right from Karl Rove’s playbook."

This follows the notorious and much parodied “Three a.m.” ad, and the rehashing of Pastor Jeremiah Wright’s anti-American sermons.
The paper goes on to spread the blame over to Barack Obama; saying "He is increasingly rising to Mrs. Clinton’s bait, undercutting his own claims that he is offering a higher more inclusive form of politics."

So is this the end of the Democratic Party? Will they simply tear themselves apart from within, and as Stephen Colbert calls it the coming democalypse?
However I think all this nastiness can only help the eventual candidate. You want to know why?

“8 Mile."

Yes that’s right 8 Mile the crappy Eminem movie. (Stay with me on this I know where I am going, I promise).

If you have or haven’t seen the film – its about an aspiring rap star played by Marshall Bruce Mathers III – who raps his was to success sort of. The final showdown is with the reigning underground rapper in a free styling competition.

Get ready and provide your own beat – this is what Eminem’s character Rabbit raps. (According to IMDB I don’t know it by heart I swear.)

“This man ain't no mother-f**in' MC / I know everything he's got to say against me / I am white, I am a f*ing bum / I do live in a trailer with my mom / My boy future is an Uncle Tom / I do got a dumb friend named Cheddar Bob / Who shoots himself in the leg with his own gun / I did get jumped by all six of you chumps / And Wink did f my girl / I'm still standing here screaming "F* the Free World."

So what does this profanity ridden rap have to do with Democratic politics?
It’s simple.

Clinton and Obama are using all they have on one another. Where Rev. Wright’s sermons could have ruined Obama at the polls in November, they are already out, apologized for – and by Election Day – will most likely be forgotten.

Clinton’s fake sniper fire story –it’s already out.

Obama’s drug use from his books? Done.

Crazy scum bag landlord? Dealt with.

The Return of Monica? Discussed.

So the Democrats just like Eminem are taking all of the bullets out of the Republican’s gun. There won’t be a bone of a skeleton left in the democratic candidate’s closet while John McCain’s closet will be bursting at the seams.

So just like in 8 Mile McCain will be left holding the mic speechless.

Killing The Planet on Earth Day

So it’s Earth Day, and the Polar Bear is still at risk, the planet is still warming, and developing countries are using more natural resources and polluting more than ever before.

So what is worth celebrating? Capitalism! Mainstreaming and commercializing of the “earth agenda.”

Every company from cars to soda is marketing a organic, energy efficient, low carbon foot print creating, products. It's like Santa in stores at Christmas, Hallmark Cards at Valentines day or Corona beer at Cinco De Mayo.

There are plenty of examples of this run amok; the ethanol disaster comes to mind, where the generally held belief is that it is having a more negative impact on the earth then positive.

Basically it's because Ethanol doesn't burn cleaner than gasoline, and it consumes twenty percent of the entire U.S. corn crop, causing the price of corn and everything from corn starch to corn oil - to double.

Another good example – of the way saving the earth has been commercialized and it comes from something that happened to me on Saturday at Trader Joe’s. I was walking into the store – when I saw a huge honking black SUV drive into the parking lot. A woman on her cell phone got out opened the back of the truck and pulled out a few reusable grocery bags – and went into the store.

The fact that someone could be conscious enough to use the re-usable bags but still drive a huge SUV shows that saving the earth is still just something people do when it is convenient. If gas does go up to five dollars a gallon will this woman – or all SUV owners park their trucks and look for alternatives? Not likely, but even if they do it’s because they can’t afford it, not because they want to help the earth.

When I was in China I saw the effect of the pollution on the Beijing skyline. There was simply a gray brown haze over the city at all times, when it rained the rain pulled dirt out of the air and coated everything in a brown sludge.

It’s a nation in the middle of its industrial revolution, a city growing as fast as it can, much like now dead mill cities here in the states, where factories up and down rivers belched smoke and poured chemicals into the river.

So what can we look as we approach the 40 anniversary of Earth Day in 2010? Simply that things may get so bad, that we can’t afford to ignore the problem, but who knows if we’ll even be able to make a change once we get to that point.