COLUMN: "The Geek Factor"

Ed Rendell seems to be one of the most popular men in Philadelphia. Why? Here was a guy who was the epitomie of a "pol," the very species all Americans supposedly detest. Fast Eddie he was nicknamed, yet he still won an enormous victory, both in the primary and in November. Granted he set forth some very good ideas about how to start solving the city's problems and that his opponets were less than inspiring, but I think there was more to "Fast Eddie's" win than that. To put it bluntly, I think Ed Rendell won a huge victory in large part due to the fact that many people in this city could picture themselves sitting down with the guy, kicking back and downing a few brews while watching the Eagles blow yet another playoff game. In contrast our beloved and most exalted leader, King George, and his Vice-Jester are obviously completely out of touch with all forms of reality. Clearly Bush and Quayle have no concept about what it means to be layed off, or to collect unemployment, or to suffer the humiliation of living on the street. These facts are certrainly not news to most of you, as has been pointed out in poll after poll. What goes overlooked however is how deeply unconnected our chief executive and his sidekick are in spirit to the American people. A few weeks ago, feeling the peer pressure from his opponets, George Bush made his first appearence on a talk show. When George made his decision to appear he was quoted as referring to it as one of those "weird morning shows." "Weird morning shows"? Perhaps strictly speaking George was right, but I have a feeling that wasn't what he was referring to. No, I think that our man of the people has probably never seen the Today show or Good Morning America or anything else the majority of his "constituients" watches. I don't think that this lack of knowledge concerning pop culture is a product of a generation gap either. Danny boy is the same age as my father. He could be George's son. J. Danforth grew up in the sixties and even though when every one else in his generation was going off to Vietnam he was at home making tea for mummy, he is still a baby boomer in technical terms. This fact hasn't helped him though. For example, one of the most incredible things I have read in a long time was an interview last spring with Marilyn Quayle in T.V. Guide. Asked what kinds of television programming the Quayle's watched, Danny's wife reported that they generally saw all three network news shows, the McNeil/Lehrer Report, Face the Nation, and CNN. She added that sometimes on Friday nights she and her four children (Oops, I mean she, Dan and their three children) will rent a movie. That was about it. No, she said, they never watch the Tonight Show. Geeks. I wondered if she were joking. Do you know a single person who has never seen a sitcom? Do you know anyone who doesn't, at least occasionally, watch the Simpsons, or Cheers, or Cosby, or at least Full House? How about Hawaii 5-0 or Hogan Heroes for god sakes? A baseball game? Maybe an old episode of Mash? When Danny boy attacked that evil perverter of American values, Murphy Brown, even he admitted that he has never seen the show. Hell, I read Newsweek, The New Republic, The Washington Monthly, two daily newspapers. I would call myself a political junkie but hey; there is more to life. I still find plenty of time to watch old Police Squad episodes and go to the movies. I don't consider myself too different from the average American (whoever that is). In other words, I have a life. (If you disagree on that point you can call me at home.) While I take a take a strong interest in government, poltics and international affairs, I don't spend every waking moment worrying about the trade deficit or how to manipulate the press, nor do I think it is healthy to do so. Unfortunately, some people obviously do, and we have a word for them: geeks. Let's face it, Bush and Quayle are geeks, and the reason that the media does not pick up on this fact is because they are all geeks too. What does Dan Rather do on his time off? Do you think he reads the latest book by Jackie Collins? I bet if you collected all the big name media types and every member of Congress and the Bush Administration and gave them a cultural literacy test nearly all of them would fail miserably. The problem is that we often only have a choice between geeks. Take Michael Dukakis. Remember when on national TV he responded to that asinine question of whether he would support the death penalty if his wife were raped by reciting textbook bullshit about being sworn to do his duty? Even my father, an honest to God 60's liberal went bonkers and still blaims that one stupid answer for costing the Democrats the '88 election. Come on Mike. Any real American would have first said they would rip the guy's lungs out and then proceeded to tell the reporter what an absolutley stupid question he had just asked. Unfortunately, the Duke was even more out of touch with reality than Bush. His personality must have been surgically removed at birth and stored in a deep freezer. Ronald Reagan was so popular simply because he was not a geek. People could relate to him and he to them. The anguish in Bush's face every time he makes a political appearence away from party fund raisers compared to Ronnie's jolly smile says it all. Bill Clinton seems to realize all of this. I don't know if he's a geek too, but every time he takes out his saxaphone and plays some jazz for the crowd he shows that he recognizes the importance of being in touch with the people. Of course many media types sneer at his showmanship, accusing him of lacking substance and ignoring the "tough questions." They only prove how isolated they are themselves. There is no greater bastion of unjustified snobbery in America than the media. Look, every time someone points out how shallow George Bush is when it comes to taking a stand on anything they are 100% on the money, but that's only half of the coin. People seem to ignore how important it is to understand and connect with those one is trying to lead. Pop culture - T.V., movies, music etc. helps bring this country together, and I don't think anyone, Democrat or Republican, who cannot relate to that culture in at least a minimal way should have the audacity to call himself our leader. We do not need a philosopher king. Brian Newberry is a senior Urban Studies and American History major from Wallingford, Connecticut and a former senior photographer for The Daily Pennsylvanian.

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