Top 5 Political Crutches

Posted on May 9th, 2007
By Tom McCormick in Politics

Wading through the commercials, the web sites, the speeches and the (gulp) Town Hall Meetings, you come across the same tried and (somehow) true visual buffoonery with almost all of today’s candidates. Below are 5 examples of why I drink:

1) The Sleeve-Roll

John Edwards perfected it with his classic faux denim shirt roll, but it’s been the embarrassing metaphor of the hard-workin’ servant of the people for years. Howard Dean rolled them so hard he still has marks.

Can I get a beer over here?

2) The Littlest Thumb

Bill Clinton started this weird little gesture and after 8 years of watching him do it, most politicians have gotten it down perfectly. I still don’t know what it’s a metaphor for, but it’s creepy and I wish they’d just stop.

Coupla shots here, please?
Hello?

Littled Thumb
3) The Lip Bite

Again, it’s Bill Clinton trademark, but I’ve seen Edwards borrow it when he needed to look instantly sincere. Kucinich did it once, but bit down too hard and it bled. Hillary won’t do it, and don’t ask her to.

Another round here? Yeah, it’s just me, why?

Littled Thumb
4) Man of the people attire

Joe Lieberman in a leather jacket. Remember that one?

Can I get a case of Schlitz to go?
Littled Thumb

5) I’m a human, like you! Look at me!

When Hillary pretends to be a homemaker and bake something, when John Kerry awkwardly walks out of the brush with a shotgun wearing camo, when George Bush senior visits a Safeway and pretends to buy some batteries or something…These are the actions of a desperate politician on the ropes, and they are tough to endure with a straight face.

Hey one of you kids give me a lift?

Littled Thumb

Got one that makes you squirmy? Send it.

This post is part of ProBlogger’s most recent group writing project, with the theme of "top five". Be sure to check out other entries!

 

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Comments

  1. Dan Walter

    That’s pretty good.

  2. Todd Zeigler

    Dukakis and the helmet.

    http://www.thesunblog.com/spor.....ukakis.jpg

  3. Jonathan Trenn

    1) Randomly pointing to no one in the audience. When politicians are on the podium in front of cheering supporters, it seems they will point to a specific spot in the audience as if they recognize a particular person and are picking them specifically out. I know this because I’ve been “pointed out” twice before and both times I was attending a rally to accompany a friend.

    2) The buttoned up blue suit. As soon as a (at least male) politician gets out of a car, they automatically button up their suit. Then they smile. Then they wave.

  4. Tom

    The Saturday Night Live monologue pointing to no one routine. Excellent. When he points at you, what do you do exactly? Duck?

  5. Alex Hammer

    Cool!

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The Bivings Report (TBR) is a source of news, insight, research and analysis on the web-based communications industry. TBR content is posted, created and managed by internet strategists, media/communications analysts, web developers, designers and programmers, all of whom are employees of The Bivings Group.

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