The Boring Old White Guy Lane

Politics is reality TV. 

Voters are deciding which show to watch.

The star needs to hold our attention. Hickenlooper? Bennet? Moulton?  

Who?

The news today regards the campaign of John Hickenlooper, former Governor of Colorado. 

Who cares?

Apparently his campaign failed to "gain traction" as the people at CNN put it. Politico said that his campaign finance director "flees to Beto." The Hill said the staffer "leaves." CBS says it is a "shakeup."

The problem isn't the finance director. It is the star of the show. Hickenlooper.

A group of candidates fall into the same mental category: white guys with experience and proven managerial and electoral competence, who project a moderate bipartisan ability to make the levers of government work.  Sensible guys.

Yes, they have a chance to break out, but it looks grim for them--not because they would do a bad job, because in fact they appear to be well prepared for the job-- but because they are un-interesting and undistinguishable as messengers of a national vision. 

They are the political equivalent of C-SPAN in a world of politics as high drama entertainment. They are steamed broccoli: good for us. Trump is pizza.

This blog mentioned Jay Inslee yesterday. He exemplifies my point that it is not a failure of policy content or message. Inslee's singular focus on climate is as courageous and out of the box as Alexandia Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal, and he preceded her in saying that climate was a crisis, not a problem. When she said it, people paid attention. Fox News condemns her; Democrats climb on board; the words "Green New Deal" become a talking point. 

Recognize John Delaney?

Inslee creates no excitement or drama.

John Delaney doesn't either, and I saw him working his tail off to meet voters twenty to fifty at a time in New Hampshire, with three or four events a day. Nor does John Hickenlooper have it, nor Michael Bennet, nor Steve Bullock, nor Tim Ryan, nor Seth Moulton, nor Eric Swalwell.  

None of them are particularly interesting, not even Eric Swalwell who parlayed his position on both the Judiciary and Intelligence committees to be on cable TV repeatedly, saying things his audience welcomed hearing, that Trump was a crook. It didn't matter. He wasn't a star, either.

Donald Trump exposed the simple reality of American politics that it is, in fact, a form of reality TV.  Donald Trump understood and exploited the current media environment better than did the political/pundit class. The ideal preparation for winning election was to be the executive producer and star of a contest-oriented elimination themed reality TV show. And that was Trump.

Trump was mocked this week on news and comedy shows for showing irritated impatience when his Chief of Staff was heard coughing in the background while Trump answered a question posed by a journalist.Trump wanted his answer re-shot. This was a powerful revelation of Trump's understanding of the job. It is a show. He is a performer.

Celebrity Apprentice

Trump in North Korea, stepping over the boundary line, was not "mere photo op" diplomacy as opponents and pundits observe. It is powerful communication of movement toward something.  Peace? A setback? Future missile attack on Japan? We don't know. Trump doesn't know. Something. A cliffhanger. Staying tuned is the point.

The Trump Show is not the only show. He has competition, though not from the boring white qualified guys. His show could get cancelled for a different and better one.

Bernie Sanders is interesting, saying controversial things with hoarse-voice urgency. Possibly we are ready for populist jeremiads.

Biden has a story with drama: will the old guy hang on, can he get the youngsters interested?

Elizabeth Warren speaks with urgent enthusiastic sincerity. Will we want to hear her cheerlead us toward structural change?

Kamala Harris has the mixed-race prosecutor tough smart woman character down pat. We see characters like her on TV: How to Get Away with Murder and Scandal. We watch that type of character.

Pete Buttigieg has the smart, mature, self-accepting young gay guy schtick. He would be interesting counter programing to Trump.

American voters are deciding now whether to keep watching the Trump Show. It isn't that good a show, but its mistakes and blooper reels keep late night TV comics busy. We will not replace the Trump Show with the Hickenlooper or Bennet or Bullock Show. 

We want something more interesting than broccoli.