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Barack Obama: Now Playing
Human Events ^ | 8/13/08 | D. R. Tucker

Posted on 08/13/2008 1:26:17 AM PDT by MartinaMisc

Is Barack Obama America’s first “high concept” candidate?

As the McCain campaign has humorously noted, Obama is indeed one of the world’s biggest celebrities—and although his fame isn’t really warranted, his movie-star status could propel him into the Presidency. Obama is little more than slick Hollywood packaging—but slick Hollywood packaging works in this day and age.

About thirty years ago, some of the Hollywood executives now backing Obama developed a strategy to increase their profit margins. Studios were losing money on “artistic” films that only seemed to appeal to the screenwriters and directors who worked on these pictures. These executives decided that the way to make money was to lure dumbed-down, short-attention-span audiences with plots that could be described in just a few words. By the mid-1980s, “high concept” films dominated Hollywood: Flashdance, Footloose, Beverly Hills Cop, Ghostbusters, Top Gun, Robocop and Die Hard set box-office records, thus making these executives look like business-section geniuses.

As a candidate, Obama can be described in one sentence: “Potential first black President promises hope and change.” He has been promoted with one of the most effective advertising campaigns of all-time. He even has a soundtrack featuring hip-hop artists Will.I.Am and Ludacris.

Everything about Obama screams “high-concept.” He has unforgettable lines (“We are the change we have been waiting for”), hilarious gags (“I’ve now been to all fifty-seven states”), and moments of intense drama (anytime Michelle Obama speaks). He has a high-profile supporting cast: David Axelrod, Jeremiah Wright, Bill Ayers, Tony Rezko, Deval Patrick. There’s action (Obama trying not to trip over his own tongue when he’s not reading a teleprompter), romance (the love affair between the Obama and the mainstream press), and tear-jerking moments (Hillary Clinton’s concession speech).

(Excerpt) Read more at humanevents.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: kerry; mccain; obama

1 posted on 08/13/2008 1:26:17 AM PDT by MartinaMisc
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To: MartinaMisc

“In a perfect world, McCain’s story would become the highest-grossing picture of all-time. “

Huh?


2 posted on 08/13/2008 1:32:52 AM PDT by PetroniusMaximus
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To: MartinaMisc
Is Barack Obama America’s first “high concept” candidate?

More like a "High", conceptual candidate. There, fixed it..

3 posted on 08/13/2008 1:40:52 AM PDT by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: MartinaMisc

And the name of the movie? ‘The Valley-churian Candidate’.

Like totally rad!


4 posted on 08/13/2008 2:23:35 AM PDT by DGHoodini (Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand)
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To: Caipirabob

I guess what they are saying is That Obombo is the Artsy Fartsy Movie. But John Mccain is TOP GUN


5 posted on 08/13/2008 3:30:01 AM PDT by ballplayer
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