Posts tagged politics
U.S. News correspondent Walsh to speak at Flagler Forum
Oct 5th
“Watching a campaign when the country is this polarized is something,” said Walsh who will speak at Flagler College on Oct. 9 as part of the 2012 Forums on Government and Public Policy lecture series.
“We’ve been polarized as a nation for quite a long time but the hardening of the sides seems to be even greater,” said Walsh, whose lecture topic is “Election 2012: Continuity or Change?” “The new normal of American politics is stalemate, gridlock and no compromise.”
Walsh is no stranger to American politics. He joined the U.S. News & World Report in 1984 as a congressional correspondent and has covered the presidency, presidential campaigns and national politics since 1986. He is also the author of “The Presidency” column and writer of a daily blog called “Ken Walsh’s Washington” at usnews.com.
In 2012, Walsh believes Obama’s platform of looking towards the future will be a bit tougher to swallow than it was in 2008.
“Obama took the approach of hope and change in 2008 but that turned out to be much more difficult than he expected,” said Walsh. “In 2012, people seem much more cynical and I believe turnout will be much less than 2008 so it will be interesting to see what happens.”
All forums take place at Lewis Auditorium at Flagler College, 14 Granada St., at 7 p.m. Forums are free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of speakers who donate their time in support of the series. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign language interpreters are provided. Call (904) 819-6400 for more information.
Source: Flagler College
“The Ides of March” Shows Dirty Politics
Oct 13th
Official Website
Movie Trailer
“Excellent Portrayal of Dirty Politics”
“Hotshots” looks at a movie!
The Ides of March is one of the best movies of the year, but one of the most difficult to enjoy, one of the most rewarding, but also one of the most frustrating, and one that should be seen by everyone who follows politics, but is also a handbook for what not to do in politics.
And expect to hear its name often at the Academy Awards ceremony in 2012.
Now, about the title. To the person who wrote “WTF the title? It doesn’t even take place in March,” I say, “Google it, Dude.” It is a famous expression from a famous play by a very famous author.
George Clooney produced, co-wrote, and directed the movie. He also stars as Gov. Mike Morris, who is campaigning for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.
The action takes place in Ohio, where the Democratic primary election is coming up, and we are told, “As goes Ohio, so goes the nation.”
Ryan Gosling plays Stephen Myers, Gov. Morris’s press secretary; Philip Seymour Hoffman plays his campaign manager; Paul Giamatti plays the campaign manager for the Democratic rival running against Gov. Morris; Evan Rachel Wood plays an intern working for Gov. Morris’s campaign; and Marisa Tomei plays a reporter for The New York Times.
Stephen is very good at his job and is told that all the reporters love him, even the ones who hate him. However, when the rival’s campaign manager arranges a secret meeting with Stephen, tells him that Stephen is working for the wrong man, and offers to hire Stephen to come work for him, a chain of events are set in motion that will change Stephen’s idealistic views of Gov. Morris.
And then when Stephen learns a secret about Gov. Morris that could damage his campaign severely and perhaps even ruin the governor, Stephen has to battle his own idealistic views, because he can use that information either to further his own career or to damage the governor’s reputation.
We are told that loyalty is the only thing valued in politics and the only thing that can be counted on. We are also told that if you stay in the political business long enough, you become jaded and bitter.
The Ides of March can do the same and is an excellent portrayal of dirty politics.
I’m Dan Culberson and this is “Hotshots.”