http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1838041,00.html?cnn=yes
As an article on Time.com points out, people have been searching the web high and low for “hot photos” of a VP candidate, possibly a first in our nation’s history. What this says about politics, I’m not sure, but I also wanted to point out something a little farther down in the article. In addition to looking for racy shots of the new Republican VP, the author writes:
People also searched frequently for Palin’s physical stats — particularly her age and height — as they do with all of the other candidates and running mates. Internet searchers also appear to be fascinated and confused about her religious orientation, with several queries such as “Sarah Palin Religious Beliefs,” “Sarah Palin Christian,” “Sarah Palin Catholic,” “Sarah Palin Mormon,” and “Sarah Palin Jewish.”
Given our discussion on today about the American Political Landscape and the intersection of self-identity and politics, I thought this was interesting. Of course, we all know she’s pro-life, but where does she get her pro-life views? The truth of the matter is that most Americans still know relatively little about her.
Finally, the last paragraph of the article is just too good to pass up.
Given that the most popular searches surrounding the candidates include queries about Meghan McCain’s lunch with Heidi Montag, Web videos of Obama Girl and slogans like “Alaska: Coldest State, Hottest Governor,” it’s getting harder and harder to distinguish news about the 2008 presidential race from the latest chatter from celebrity gossip magazines.
Thoughts?
This is an example of how politics can be separated in some ways from government. Politics is more like a game. Politics sometimes can be more about the people and their personal lives more than their views and goals for the nation. The fact that people are regulary searching for hot pictures of Sarah Palin shows us this. Also it has no political realivance that Meghan McCain had lunch with Heidi Montag yet it is news because people are interested in it. My opinion is that the nation in a certain way views politicains as elected celebrities. They want to know who they are eatting with, see hot photos of them, and know religious beliefs. This is why it is getting harder to distinguish the real news from the gossip.
By: lcbennett on September 8, 2008
at 1:10 pm
If you think those pictures of Sarah Palin were “hot”, check this out:
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/10/cnn-reports-palin-bikini-photo-but-fails-to-tell-viewers-its-a-fake/
Big controversy with cnn who doctored photos to make it seem like Palin is wearing an american flag bikini holding a gun. Sad that politics and news reporting has stooped to this level.
By: chelseareynolds on September 10, 2008
at 4:46 pm