When did political discourse in this country become so shallow that eating arugula is a campaign issue?

When did political discourse in this country become so shallow that eating arugula is a campaign issue?

About the same time Michael Dukakis told American farmers to start growing endive.

HughS,

You think that's a bad idea?
You make a lot more on an acre of endive than you do on an acre of corn, oats, or wheat. And isn't that the point of business in America, to make a buck?

And as for arugula, you buy a pack of seeds at Home Depot, you throw them in the garden, and stand back. The stuff grows, and grows, and grows. Plus it reseeds itself. It's a huge bargain.

So enjoying a wide variety of produce makes one a snob? Or just produce that some people might find hard to pronounce?

McCain is an elitist. Who cares? You don't want someone elite managing your country?

Good to see that the media is still shilling for their man. According to the Allison McKeefe,

"...McCain flies in a slightly smaller Boeing 737..."

All I can say and recommend is for Obama and the press to keep on this way. And thanks. ww

I do think that Obama has taken in a few too many Tony Robbins seminars. I do think declaring himself president before it is so is an extreme turn-off. It definitely is to me, and it would be so to me as well if McCain did the same thing since they're both still competing for the job. However, I hope he keeps the flagrant self-promotions up. It's good for the opposition. No one likes a person that's too much in live with themself.

P.S. - And another thing: I think the fist bump is just very ghetto, unprofessional, and downright tacky. Learn to shake hands like a normal professional person. I know some of you will say I'm nit-picking, but I hate to see anyone do the fist bump regardless of their color.

Rance
It is not a bad idea, it is a ridiculous idea.

Some context might help. Dukakis made the remark in a debate during a time in which American farmers were suffering near catstrophic losses owing to low commodity prices and high interest rates.

Farmers cannot simply switch from corn, wheat or soybean production to endive between seasons. Why? Because the capital equipment investments they had made in historical crop production were not compatible with endive production, to say nothing of soil characteristics, climate and labor demands.

Dukakis' remark was no different than a candidate recommending that Ford convert a truck plant to motor scooters next year.

Getting back to O-Force-One for a moment - hey leave the guy alone.

Running for President is TIRING, for Pete's sake, even for a trim 46-year-old!

HughS,

You may be right, however, and I also failed to point out the non sequitur you made back at step #2. The stupidity I'm was originally talking about was the assertion that one who eats arugula is some sort of elitist. I don't think Obama has ever come out and recommended anyone switch their crop to arugula.

So again: When did political discourse in this country become so shallow that eating arugula is a campaign issue?

I don't think Obama has ever come out and recommended anyone switch their crop to arugula. ...not yet.

But I agree that I took the comments off topic with the Dukakis comment.

As to your question, political discourse in this country has been shallow for as long as I've witnessed it, led by the MSM, large segments of which have since forfeited their seat at the table (fortunately).

Rance,
It makes as much sense as when they made an issue about GHW Bush not liking brocoli and not being familiar with bar coders at the corner market (after how many years on Pennsylvania Ave...).

SCSIwuzzy,

Broccoli and arugula may equate (was Bush ever called elitist because he didn't like broccoli?)

However, not being familiar with a bar code reader, is a sign that your not an "ordinary guy", i.e. one who from time to time ventures into the supermarket. It's akin to Oprah going on the road and having trouble pumping her own gas. Joe Sixpack knows about barcode scanners.

Arugala is an import from Turkey. Just clearing up some things.

Not being familiar with the arugula references, I decline comment :)

Alas the 'bar code scanner' was a manufactured 'scandal.' Bush knew full well what a supermarket scanner was, the 'Bush perplexed by supermarket scanner' story hyped by the press was a new model with fancy schmancy features that Bush was viewing at a convention. Even snopes smashes this old fable.

His elitist arrogance is a huge red flag.

Are you calling Barrack uppity? Using racist code words like arrogant or eloquent is a thin veneer for your prejudice.

Do you think calling Obama elitist isn't insulting to him just because he doesn't look like that guy on your precious dollar bills, because he enjoys exotic and/or hard to pronounce vegetables, or because he flies in a manner that would cause a member of the Kuwaiti royal family blush? Would you expect the Rosa Parks of campaign aviation to sit on an orange crate at the back of the plane?

I can already hear the howls that will arise once Barrack is borne to the dais at Invesco Field by eight strapping, shirtless white men while waving to his followers from his gilded sedan chair. "Look at him, he thinks he's already been made pharaoh!" Well ha ha ha. Like any or you are ready to take on the task of savior.

Falze,
This is why I need to check back more often. Playing rope-a-dope and having the victim oblidge is more fun when you get to burst their bubble yourself :)

Rance,
Thanks for playing, I couldn't have asked for a better straight man.

It's just a bad idea to perpetuate media lies in any way from where I sit. There are plenty of ways to tweak hosers without it.

John McCain is an elitist too. Again: why would you not want someone with refined taste and a big vocabulary running your country? Knowing what's good for Joe Six-Pack and thinking and acting like Joe Six-Pack are entirely different matters.

Falze,
I said the barcode thing was irrelevent, Rance ran with the narrative that it meant he was out of touch. Red meat near a hungry dog... :)

Hyper,
"refined taste"?
"knowing whats good for Joe Sixpack"?
This attitude worked so well for Dukakis, Mondale, Gore and Kerry...

The arugula thing comes from a compaign stop in Iowa which Obama complained about the price of arugula at Whole Foods.

Hyperbolist:

"Knowing what's good for Joe Six-Pack and thinking and acting like Joe Six-Pack are entirely different matters."

Oh, of course... but why not let Joe Six-Pack decide for himself what's good for him? We don't elect people to CONTROL what we do - we hire them to give us an overall framework, not create a lot of little positions we should all fall into and act properly in.

I haven't really seen any indication that Obama much cares what Joe Six-Pack thinks - but he's certainly ready to TELL us what to do. From his wife...

Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.

Hyperbolist - we are a free people. We are not subjects of our President, we owe no fealty to the person in the White House. We usually take offense when we're told we MUST do something we don't want to do - and to be told we're not smart enough to take care of ourselves and that we need an untried, rookie President who didn't even finish one term in the Senate before running for the Presidency to tell us how we should live our lives and what we should think doesn't exactly sit well.

However, not being familiar with a bar code reader, is a sign that your not an "ordinary guy", i.e. one who from time to time ventures into the supermarket. It's akin to Oprah going on the road and having trouble pumping her own gas. Joe Sixpack knows about barcode scanners.

1. The barcode thing? Crap.
http://www.snopes.com/history/american/bushscan.asp

2. How often does Joe Sixpack need a Secret Service team to go to the store? The president doesn't just walk down Penn Ave and pop into the local Piggly Wiggly for a six-pack of Bud Lite, you know. Not unless he wants to be shot.

The Antichrist Obama and his Pro-Abortion Communist Gestapo will CHANGE USA into USSA - United Socialist States of America.

http://www.marianland.com/music/changealbum.html

SCSIwuzzy,

Glad to have been of service. I'll play straight man for you any time. When do we get to hear your punch line?

You just keep delivering it, Rance.

I want Obama to win, I really do. Actually, let me elaborate. I would prefer John McCain to Barack Hussein Obama as the next POTUS. However, if an Obama victory can put and end to the America-is-a-Racist-Nation whose public has yet to seat an African American in the White House crowd, then I want Obama to win despite my preference. Four, and possibly Eight years, of a wildly liberal POTUS certainly has the potential to make the current state of affairs here in the US a great deal worse than it is now. However, that's still a small price to pay for disarming the America-is-Racist crowd, permanently. The question is - will an Obama victory be enough to finally convince the America-Haters to stop the nonsense, and admit that we are no longer living under Jim Crow Law, and that The United States is the great melting pot it was destined to be ?

Obamerica is a young and dynamic Man.He should be given the support to become America's next President.

Obamerica age is compatible with those of other neo-global leaders,and would make it much easier for America to become a leader again.

Obamerica should be the Man to lift America out of her present state of economic and leadership confusion.He is the Man that would ancore America onto Africa's vast energy reserve.

I see the a more positive global face for America with Obamerica as the President.