No Mr. Smiths
I'd carefully taped a couple of random half-hour segments from the 30-hour U.S. Senate debate that went on all night Wednesday and into Thursday. I picked the 3:00-3:30 and 5:00-5:30am slots.
Now, as good a cause as it is on the merits (i.e. a desire by Republicans to get some of their judicial nominees filled), I must confess that my primary motivation was to see the senators looking like Mr. Smith in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I was looking for dissheveled clothing, wild hair, unfeigned passion and unguarded remarks. I'd settle for a pained look caused by a full bladder. Many of the same reasons we watch the Jerry Lewis Telethon, or Dan Rather for that matter.
But noooo....the entertainment value was nill. They looked blow-dried and professional as always. I didn't expect Orin Hatch to look like Otis Campbell on the Andy Griffith Show, but couldn't somebody look like they just got out of bed?
It sounds as though I'm trivializing it. Perhaps. I do believe it's worth fighting for. But I suspected this event a publicity stunt. And publicity stunts need publicity, which this event didn't gin up.
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