Thursday, May 15, 2008

Sean Penn Pontificates From Cannes; Obama Cringes

Not many actors depart from the DNC's talking points, and Sean Penn illustrates why it's dangerous to go off-script.

Speaking from the Cannes Film Festival, where he has been appointed "president of the jury," Penn called Barack Obama's voting record “phenomenally inhuman and unconstitutional.” It's true that Obama has the most liberal voting record in the Senate. If anyone can explain how it is inhuman or unconstitutionall, let me know.

Penn grew more confused, or confusing, as he continued to opine on Obama:

"I hope that he will understand, if he is the nominee, the degree of disillusionment that will happen if he doesn't become a greater man than he will ever be,” Penn said.

What? How does Obama "become a greater man than he will ever be"? This is why the writers' strike shut down Hollywood: actors like Penn cannot write their own material.

To the extent that Penn is calling Obama an empty suit, I disagree. Obama is highly intelligent. His refusal to tell us what he actually thinks -- as opposed to relying on vacuous platitudes like "change" and "hope" -- is downright deceitful. Obama knows exactly what he'd like to do as president, but he also knows that if he ever actually tells us, he won't win.

Consequently, Penn is correct that some, maybe many Obama supporters will become disillusioned if Obama ever gets an opportunity to "change" who knows what. Obama's campaign has been a Rorschach test; voters see whatever they want, because he has never provided any substance to contradict their fantasy of who he is.

1 comment:

ACAER said...

Why can't people understand what Penn was saying? It isn't hard to comprehend--he meant Obama has been built himself up to be this Jesus Christ like person, and he obviously will never be able to fulfill that if he becomes president.

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