Will Buck McKeon Ever Get An Oscar For Playing The Role Of A Seedy Career Politician?

Bill Moyers had a fascinating discussion with brilliant culture critic Neil Gabler this week. It's worth watching (above); they talk about the difference between heroes and celebrities and how it impacts politics and how popular culture-- particularly films-- influences our perceptions of the presidency.

In honor of the Academy Awards Sunday, Lee Rogers, the progressive Democrat from northeast L.A. County running against corrupt GOP incumbent Buck McKeon, did a send up on the United Republic Oscar send-up which highlights government corruption in movies. "As many of you know," he wrote, "Representative Howard 'Buck' McKeon has made a career out of taking special favors from lobbyists. We think he should win an Oscar for playing a career politician and being a Washington insider. We've taken the liberty of writing his acceptance speech:"

"First I want to thank loose campaign finance laws for allowing me to give my wife $550,000 in the past 10 years. I want to thank Countrywide Mortgage for my VIP loan. I want to thank the Defense Industry for funding my campaigns and my lifestyle. I want to thank the Drone Industry for allowing me to create a bogus caucus just to funnel more money into my friends' campaigns. I want to thank big oil for being such a close friend. (cue music) Oh, and I can't forget to thank the For-Profit Colleges for paying me to rip off students!"

Gabler makes it painfully clear how campaigns that are really about nothing but aesthetics leave us with candidates who are packaged into superficial, two-dimensional personas designed to appeal to both the electorate and the media. Like, for example, Akron's favorite son here...