Blog March 2017: Not My President

So many folks use the term 'not my president' these days for Trump. I freely admit I'm one of them. I also must admit I was unaware it was a term some folks used for President Barack Obama during his two terms. I would disagree, Obama was my President, and I'll talk about that shortly, but first let's talk about presidents.

When I was growing up, in the days of Johnson, Nixon, and Ford (yes, I'm that old), the president was the enemy. Granted that impression was sowed and influenced by "Saturday Night Live," Mad magazine, and scores of counterculture sixties movies that I loved, but one thing changed that - it was truth, not media.

I used to walk home for lunch when I was going to elementary school, and while I was eating my sandwich and French fries I would watch reruns of "Brady Bunch." Then something happened that shattered that routine. Watergate. The hearings were broadcast live all day, everyday, and on all channels (of which in those days were few, maybe seven at most).

At first I was annoyed. I wanted to watch the Brady kids, and these hearings went on for seeming months. With no "Brady Bunch," eventually I began to watch the only thing on, and learned firsthand how evil and corrupt and hateful our leaders really were. This stayed with me, for decades, never completely trusting those in power, even after I had the power to vote.

That changed with Barack Obama. He was my age, he had my values, and he believed in the rights of all people. He was also a comic book reader, something that really resonated with me. As a Spider-Man and Conan fan, I knew Obama was aware that with great power came great responsibility, and that might didn't always make right. He appeared on talk shows, podcasts, and treated his staff to Five Guys. He liked TV, music, and movies I knew, and he cared about the issues I cared about.

These may all sound like small trivial things, but Barack Obama was truly my President. And when horrible shootings happened on campuses, in schools, in malls or on the streets – things which happen far too often – President Obama mourned with us. He came on TV and mourned with us. These events hurt him the way they hurt all feeling Americans, all human beings. This was a President, this was a man, who had a heart, and a soul. I don't know if I can say those things about the person who currently holds that office. The only emotions I have seen Trump have are those that harm others, he is not an empathic man.

Trump is not my president. A real leader does not joke about nuclear weapons, nor does he intimidate or humiliate women. He doesn't make fun of the disabled, or care about the size of a crowd. A real leader doesn't gloat about an election months afterward. He doesn't invite murderers to the White House and say he'd be honored to meet him. He doesn't take health care away from those who need it most. And he doesn't fire folks who may be investigating shenanigans in his administration.  Trump is not just not my president - he's a monster. And he is the worst kind of villain, the kind who not only thinks he's right, but also thinks he's the hero. Not my president, and shouldn't be anyone's president.

If you're not an official stop on the Blog March tour, do it anyway. Speak your mind, write your heart, and get the word out. Link back to us so we can help you spread the word.

Please join and/or donate to ACLU, vote, or register to vote if you haven't already, support People for the American Way, Human Rights Campaign, Planned Parenthood, Lambda Legal, and Public Television.

Check out the next stop on the Blog March right here tomorrow, and here the next day. A full schedule can be found here. And thank you.

W.

W. ~ There’s no way around this one, so I’m warning y’all up front – this is going to be messy, and worse than that, this is going to get political. And in reviewing W., I think I need to make my political standings clear.

I voted for George W. Bush once, and quickly soured on that decision in light of his behavior in both a post-9/11, and a pre-9/11 world. I didn’t make the same mistake twice. The following election brought me to independent candidates and in the most recent I was a major Barack Obama supporter, even when my faith in him wavered during the election, I still proudly gave him the vote. I believed in the man, and even though we remain in a war (or wars) we shouldn’t be in, I still do. Nobody’s perfect.

The point of bringing up President Obama is that I wonder if director Oliver Stone would ever make a similar movie about Obama in the same way he made W. I wonder this because W. is character assassination, pure and simple. I also can’t help but wonder why make such a film about a man that quite clearly is and was pretty much hated anyway. And it’s one thing to make a film, admittedly based on fact, that makes a man look bad, but another thing entirely to have nothing that makes him look good in the whole film. I don’t like the junior Bush myself, but I’m sure he has a soul and treats animals well. Heck, even Hitler was fond of dogs and liked to paint. I’m not asking for anyone to make a bad man look like a saint, but at least half the voting citizens of this country voted for him twice – he must have some good attributes.

Oliver Stone is also someone I dislike, but for different reasons. He makes movies based on real events, but frequently, in films like JFK, The Doors and Nixon (just three examples out of many) he depicts scenes that really no one could know about. Scenes of people alone doing things they would never admit to. How does anyone know about this?

All that said, technically it’s a well made film. Well shot, well written and Josh Brolin is impressive. Brolin should have asked Stone for some sympathetic scenes however, so he might have gotten an Oscar nod. But as I said, no sympathy here. And I sure would like to see footage of the real press conference that last scene is based on, ‘cause I must have been asleep that newsday. I can’t wait for Stone’s Obama and Hitler bio-pics, so I can compare and contrast.

More of the Same, Just Earlier

I just finished watching the first episode of the new prime time version of "The Tonight Show," um, I mean "The Jay Leno Show." I was unimpressed. I wish I wasn't, but that was how I saw it. It's just more of the same stuff we were getting at 11:30 three months ago.

There's literally nothing new here. I still wouldn't tune in for Jay Leno, no offense, he's just not that funny for me, but rather for his guests. And if Jay continues to softball the guests, especially when they are Twitter of-the-moment hot like Kanye West - what's the point really?

A few comments about tonight's episode... I gotta give props to Dan Finnerty, but really, when isn't he entertaining? Still, I like him better doing covers, but that's just me. I want the desk back. Jerry Seinfeld certainly is fighting a losing battle against male pattern baldness, but he's still funny. I kinda liked the Obama bit but I was sad that Jay stooped to stealing two decade old Weird Al MTV bits. And speaking of MTV and the VMAs, as heartfelt and sincere as Kanye's apology was, I think he could have rehearsed it more. And killer performance by Kanye, Jay-Z and Rhianna.

If you liked Jay at 11:30, you'll love him an hour and a half earlier, just don't expect any surprises.

Colbert '08

Politics this election season are permeating every aspect of society, especially lately, the world of comics.

There have been comics featuring Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton and John McCain. Todd McFarlane's Savage Dragon endorsed Obama, as have a group of politically active comics creators called Comics Industry for Obama. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, just wait 'til you see what Marvel Comics is doing.

In the fictional Marvel Universe, Stephen Colbert, of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," is actually running for president. In a running gag running in the background of many Marvel Comics, you can see his presidential campaign and find the details here. Colbert even weighs in on problems that could only affect a world with super-heroes, like the alien Skrull invasion.

Stephen Colbert makes his first full Marvel Comics appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #573, featuring the special variant cover shown here. Hmmm... I wonder who Spidey's voting for?

Female Force

Senator Hillary Clinton is getting her own comic book.

I wonder how Obama and the Savage Dragon feel about this?

The Savage Dragon Endorses Barack Obama

From Comics Continuum:

SAVAGE DRAGON BACKS OBAMA

Image Comics has revealed that in Savage Dragon #137, the lead character will endorse Democrat Barack Obama for president with a special variant cover.

"Four years ago the Dragon was a reluctant presidential candidate," Savage Dragon creator Erik Larsen said. "Fans have asked if he'll be running again, but given the importance of the upcoming election it seemed appropriate that he would back Barack Obama, the candidate whose politics most reflect his own. Savage Dragon will be giving Barack Obama his full support."

Savage Dragon made his initial play for the presidential election in the 2004 campaign, but rescinded once the man claiming to be his running mate turned out to be Dreadknight, a supervillain bent on world domination.

Savage Dragon #137 will sport a special 1:5 variant cover featuring Dragon formally endorsing Obama.

The issue will be in stores on Sept. 3.

I really dislike talking politics on this blog but I figured I should say something about this.

Personally I am myself leaning toward Barack Obama this election. I'm not a follower of party lines but more of what is actually said and done. I think Obama is a good man.

Likewise, at different points in the Savage Dragon's publishing history I have followed the character's adventures. The Dragon's creator, Erik Larsen, is an amazing force in the comics industry. Sometimes I am in awe of his business savvy and creativity, and sometimes I am stunned by his outspokenness and outright stupidity (at least to my mind).

My main question and confusion comes from the idea that anyone would take the endorsement by a fictional character seriously...

Well, "Laugh-In" helped Nixon and "Arsenio Hall" helped Clinton... who's to say that a front cover endorsement in Savage Dragon #137 won't get Barack Obama elected?