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6. september 2004
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Kerry should avoid sports that upset his hairstyle
 So how come John Kerry gets ridiculed for windsurfing, driving a SUV, bicycling and skiing while his GOP opponents get away with much of the same things? Robert J. Thompson, a professor of media and popular culture from Syracuse University, has the solution:
Professor Thompson confesses that he does not think it has anything to do with windsurfing, or skiing, or even the mansions. After all, no one made fun of John F. Kennedy for all those yachting photos.
"The thing about windsurfing is, there's wind," he explains. "It blows through your hair. John Kerry looks like a guy who could ride in a convertible with the wind rushing through all that hair, but the truth is, his hair just looks goofy when he's out there on that windsurfer. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it just boils down to the hair." Quick, somebody warn Hillary.
A lot of jokes have been made about the importance of good hair for political office and high-level business jobs. It appears that after the TV debates changed political campaigns, bald men run a real handicap when running for office in the US at least.
I've heard this phenomenon being described in Norway as "Playmobil hair." I don't know how common the toy is (or has been) in the US, so I include a picture so you'll see approximately what I mean. The plastic figures would be naturals for higher office, and the hair wouldn't even be upset by windsurfing.
9:48:47 PM 
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Clinton came through fine
Bill Clinton's bypass operation went fine, and he is now in recovery.
8:17:25 PM
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Kerry recruits ill Clinton
With tumbling support, the Kerry campaign is requesting help from former President Clinton (hey, doesn't he need rest?).
In an expansive conversation, Mr. Clinton, who is awaiting heart surgery, told Mr. Kerry that he should move away from talking about Vietnam, which had been the central theme of his candidacy, and focus instead on drawing contrasts with President Bush on job creation and health care policies, officials with knowledge of the conversation said.
The conversation and the recruitment of old Clinton hands came amid rising concern among Democrats about the state of Mr. Kerry's campaign and criticism that he had been too slow to respond to attacks on his military record or to engage Mr. Bush on domestic policy. Among the better-known former Clinton aides who are expected to play an increasingly prominent role are James Carville, Paul Begala and Stanley Greenberg, campaign aides said.
Mr. Kerry's aides emphasized that this was an expansion of the staff for the fall campaign and did not represent another upheaval of the Kerry campaign.
Heh. No panic here! Yeah right.
With press reports like this, and in a friendly paper like the NYT no less, it will take some miracle for Clinton or his aides to turn this around in time. Few voters like to support a loser, and if it goes on like this for a bit of time, it is a runaway feedback process that will strengthen further.
Taking advice from Clinton sounds like a good idea. But maybe not. Clinton is a formidable campaigner and speaker, but does he know how to sell a candidate that is the exact opposite of himself, having the charisma of a carddoard box? Does anyone?
Kerry is becoming yesterday's favourite very fast, but there are almost two months to go, and that's an eternity in political time.
7:55:01 PM
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Negotiations
I have heard some people say, after the horrible terrorist atrocity in Russia, that we should not negotiate with terrorists. I don't agree. We should be willing to negotiate. It can be compared to patting somebody on the back to find the best place to insert the knife.
8:41:05 AM
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© Copyright 2004 Jan Haugland.
Last update: 01.10.2004; 07:22:22.
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