Future:Media:Change

Daily Show reporter John Oliver reads Palin's new book to kids in a New York City book store. They'd prefer something else.

Yes, these kids would probably rather, “Jump in a volcano,” than read the Audacity of Hope as well. The genius of this report by John Oliver was that it juxtaposed Jon Stewart’s opening piece (below) about the media’s 13 year old girl-like squealing over the Palin book, with the reality at a New York book shop. The entire episode last night was an examination of the cultural divide between Palin’s fans and detractors. She clearly is a litmus test, and where someone falls on the Palin love-hate scale can likely explain their political leanings, geography, religion and cultural sensibilities.

The episode featured Lou Dobbs, fresh from his CNN walk off, in an extended interview where Stewart and Dobbs battled over the cause of the Right’s rage. Dobbs thinks it is the effect of 8+ (Bush and Obama)  years of government pushing through policies that ignored the public’s wishes. Stewart surmises that Republicans are just poor losers.You can watch full interview of Dobbs and Stewart here.

I must admit, I watch this, “Obama is a Kenyan-born al-Qaeda sleeper cell, socialist, Nazi, who is in bed with Wall St” fervor with fascination and fear. A college friend even called me a “Nazi” and “Communist” for supporting “Obama-care.” First, I don’t support this incarnation, I think we should have medicare for all like every other rich country. I don’t think health care should be tied to your job or extreme enough poverty to qualify for a program. Second, I’m pretty sure I can’t be a Nazi and Communist at the same time. It’s just not logically possible.

I guess, like the kids I prefer shark-infested waters to Palin, but it’s not because I oppose her way of life, I oppose her lack of reason. As Ferris Bueller wisely said, “I don’t belive in any ‘ism.’ To quote John Lennon, ‘I don’t believe in Beetles, I just believe in me.’ He was the Walrus, but that doesn’t change the fact I don’t have a car.”

Okay, I got lost for a second. There is a lesson in all this “mania” for those of us in the advocacy and new media world: Buzz matters. It can be achieved with a relatively small core group via the MSM, on Twitter, with a YouTube viral hit, etc. Exhibit A: we’ve seen how a dedicated core can effect a sense that the whole country is opposed to health care reform or climate legislation, even though the actual numbers don’t add up.

Noise matters. Yet, where I think we falter is in confusing the noise for action — both in our own activities and in our opponents. To borrow from, “The Great Communicator,” at the end of the day we have to look over our campaign objectives and ask, “Are we better off today than we were four years ago” (substitute any unit of time).

For all their bluster, this fringe group cannot get all of Texas to voter for Hillary in the primary as Rush Limbaugh wanted. Their efforts to unseat a Republican who wasn’t conservative enough in Upstate New York only resulted in another seat in the (d) column in The House. And any reasonable person would have to admit that Palin may sell books (excpet to kids), but she was a disaster for McCain’s chances at victory. Oh, and for an example on the left…(see Dean, Howard).

Coming full-circle, I find myself echoing an early criticism of Obama’s powerful rhetoric and polished delivery: Noise does not equal change. It is a tool in the change maker’s arsenal, but confuse rowdy applause for concrete success at your own peril.