The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    Mitt's image morphing?

    By artappraiser on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 9:09pm |

    Warning: superficial post!

    I've commented in the past that as a personality, Mitt reminded me a lot of the Arrow Shirt Guy of advertising days of yore. Who was just a cypher of all-American clean-cut tall healthy white maleness and quiet strength.

    But watching his speech tonight when he was in a jovial mood, I began to see much more of this guy, especially in the facial expressions:

    Is it him getting help working on his body language and presentation, or me just not paying attention in the past?

    Comments

    Whereas Obama talks to us like we're adults, Mitt talks to us like we're the Beaver.

    I definitely think he is getting around the clock assistance and training in how to act "natural" amongst the masses. 

    But you need to work on your superficialness.

    Kate and Philip Get a Puppy!

    No word yet on the name.


    by Elusive Trope on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 10:37pm

    You know you have been writing brilliant and brilliantly researched stuff lately but silly as it sounds I hereby render unto Trope the Dayly Line of the Day Award for this here Dagblog Site, given to all of him from all of me for this gem:

    Whereas Obama talks to us like we're adults, Mitt talks to us like we're the Beaver

     


    by Richard Day on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 11:35pm

    I believe Mitt (Myth) is really Wally!

    And I concur with your award.


    by Aunt Sam on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 1:03am

    I think Mitt is Eddie, Newt is Lumpy and Santorum is Whitey. Obama is Lamont and Jeremiah Wright is Fred Sanford.


    by Donal on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 8:14am

    you need to work on your superficialness

    Oh, by starting out with that, I was just hoping to avoid the classic blogosphere lecture about judging politicians by their appearance (i.e., if we wouldn't feed that, Kucinich would be president; it's not fair to pick on Callista's hair; yadda, yadda.) Loud and proud about being interested in human nature and marketing, so sue me.devil

    Mitt talks to us like we're the Beaver.

    That's definitely part of what made the picture come to mind for me. And who knows, maybe they are planning to market him as a wise Dad, frustrated by the kids sometimes.

    You know what I really think about the infamous dog story? If you take the pets-uber-alles fans out of the picture, it paints him as a regular suburban Dad driving to a vacation with a packed station wagon, and not a multi-millionair corporate raider, that's probably what his son was thinking about getting across when he told the story.

    And I'll take your Kate & Phillip puppy and raise you:

    JFK JR TOLD MADONNA: DRESS UP LIKE MY MOMMY, JACKIE O!


    by artappraiser on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 6:19am

    Artsy, you are definitely on to something here in terms of imagery. Look at the statement, "There's no use getting angry about it." Isn't that aimed right at the 65 and over female demographic. I mean, who the hell else in the Republican party doesn't want to get angry?


    by Oxy Mora on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 8:08am

    But then his embarrassing singing attempt even turned off the Mormons. What a mousy voice!


    by Oxy Mora on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 2:13pm

    Does Ward Cleaver sing? Singing is for girls, ask Wally & the Beav. As for Mormons, they have pros to do it for them, real famous I hear.


    by artappraiser on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 3:06pm

    Dad is here now, you'll be safe, don't worry:

    This is a time people are worried. They're frightened. They want someone who they have confidence in. And I believe I will be able to instill that confidence in the American people.


    by artappraiser on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 4:24pm

    Not to be nitpicky or anything, but I don't think that is grandfather-in-law Philip with Kate. :-)


    by EmmaZahn on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 12:02pm

    You're right it is William.  (There is a part of me that is glad that I don't have the names of the Royal family straight.)


    by Elusive Trope on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 1:10pm

    The name is easier when it and a birthday are shared with your brother.  I knew right away it was not Philip in the photo but it took a while longer to remember it was William. 


    by EmmaZahn on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 1:47pm

    I knew something was wrong but I thought I could get away with using Trope's label for his photo. smiley


    by artappraiser on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 3:10pm

    Ward Cleaver, huh.  Have not been paying any attention so far.  Do you know if his wife keeps house in shritwaist dresses and high heels?


    by EmmaZahn on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 12:06pm

    The source of the Mitt code can be found in the space between Barbie and Ken.

    When you are only plastic, the dance must be fantastic.


    by moat on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 8:02pm

    Boomers did not demand reality in their toys: lack of knee, ankle and elbow joints, feet permanently frozen on tiptoe, impossibly small waists and hips, no genitals -- all no problemo. As long as we got a general narrative to start the imagination games. With Ken, they never gave us one. He is the Arrow shirt cypher guy, and just another of Barbie's accessories. (That's why I think Barbie helped contribute to feminism, btw: guys as an accessory. And I have always disagreed with those who said different, regarding the unrealistic body image blah blah blah-no one I knew bought it, no one we knew looked deformed like that, it was just a manufacturing limitation.)

    I don't know how that relates to  Mitt, who does indeed look like Ken and seems to have similar joint disabilities. I have to think on that.


    by artappraiser on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 5:45pm

    Gotta give this one to Mitt, today's baby picture is a pretty damn good one:

    Credit: Ben Garvin/St. Paul Pioneer Press, via Associated Press
    New York Times' Caption: Mitt Romney campaigned Wednesday in Eagan, Minn. Mr. Romney has received heavy support from outside groups with limited accountability.

    But the Times used it with this story, both online and in print

    Secrecy Shrouds ‘Super PAC’ Funds in Latest Filings

     


    by artappraiser on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 6:46pm

    Michael Tomasky reviews the two new biographies of Romney,

    The Real Romney, by Michael Kranish and Scott Helman (Harper, 401 pp., )
    and
    Mitt Romney: An Inside Look at the Man and His Politics, by R.B. Scott (Lyons, 245 pp., )

    @ "Willard Mitt Romney," New York Review of Books, February 23, 2012   


    by artappraiser on Thu, 02/09/2012 - 8:44pm