Neil Postman's piece is about the growing connection between politics and entertainment. He writes that as advertisement has moved away from persuading consumers to buy their products with facts in favor of image-based ads, politicians have employed a similar tactic to sway voters.
Postman's writing described his own time accurately and this trend has only accelerated in recent times. Politicians now focus so little on the issues and so much on their image that it borders on pathetic. Mike Huckabee is hinging his campaign on his ability to link himself with the tired "Chuck Norris Facts" jokes that we've been hearing for years.
What's worse is that it works. Huckabee has already won Iowa and will likely go on to win more states. Of course, no one believes that Huckabee owes his campaign's succes to Chuck Norris, but I have to question Huckabee's cheap tactics here. Nothing is wrong with a celebrity endorsement, but making a celebrity one of the cornerstones of your campaign is a clear attempt to win votes on something other than the strength of your ideology.
Postman's writing described his own time accurately and this trend has only accelerated in recent times. Politicians now focus so little on the issues and so much on their image that it borders on pathetic. Mike Huckabee is hinging his campaign on his ability to link himself with the tired "Chuck Norris Facts" jokes that we've been hearing for years.
What's worse is that it works. Huckabee has already won Iowa and will likely go on to win more states. Of course, no one believes that Huckabee owes his campaign's succes to Chuck Norris, but I have to question Huckabee's cheap tactics here. Nothing is wrong with a celebrity endorsement, but making a celebrity one of the cornerstones of your campaign is a clear attempt to win votes on something other than the strength of your ideology.
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