by BAR editor and senior columnist Margaret Kimberley
Deeply ingrained American notions of white male dominance animate large aspects of the U.S. presidential race, especially on the Republican side. At times, this "man-love" gets damn near freaky, as when pseudo-journalist Chris Matthews gushes about Mitt Romney's "perfect hair,"
"perfect chin," and "barrel chest." A Republican congressman swoons over the prospect of a president who is "6 foot 6" with a "commanding voice" and presence. Barack Obama gets points from white men for advocating a "muscular" foreign policy. Sounds like the politics of a locker room in which everybody is checking out the other guys' endowments.
Freedom Rider: White Man's Love
by BAR editor and senior columnist Margaret Kimberley
"Can you imagine what debates are going to be like with great big Andrew Jackson-looking Fred (Thompson) and Hillary on her stubby little legs, stamping her feet?" - Anonymous Republican
Politicians and pundits are outdoing themselves displaying creepy, cult-like admiration for the white Republican men running for president. The old narrative recently brought out of the closet says that only big, manly white men should run America. Former Senator turned actor Fred Thompson has not officially declared himself a candidate for the Republican nomination, but the man-crushes have been flying in his direction at a fast and furious pace.
"We need a president of the United States after the 2008 election who will rise above the partisan challenges ... That person is 6 foot 6. He has a commanding voice. He has a commanding presence. He makes people feel secure. He makes us feel confident."
So says Republican Congressman Zack Wamp. He thinks we need a big white man in charge.
"Chris Matthews even likes the way white guys smell."
When President Bush landed a plane on the deck of the USS Lincoln to proclaim "Mission Accomplished," MSNBC's Chris Matthews could barely contain himself. "We're proud of our president. Americans love having a guy as president, a guy who has a little swagger, who's physical...." Matthews is so in love with his fellow white guys that he even likes the way they smell:
"Can you smell the English leather on this guy (Thompson), the Aqua Velva, the sort of mature man's shaving cream, or whatever, you know, after he shaved? Do you smell that sort of -- a little bit of cigar smoke?"
Thompson is not the only Republican receiving heman declarations of love. We are told that Mitt Romney has "perfect hair," "a perfect chin," "a barrel chest," "shoulders you can land a 737 on," and last but not least, he even "radiates vigor."
It is easy to laugh at what passes for journalism in this country. Only America would allow such obvious hacks to even be employed. Yet their presence in the corporate media is proof that they are not alone in espousing racist, sexist notions about who should govern.
"We are told that Mitt Romney has "perfect hair," "a perfect chin."
Chris Matthews thinks that white men should speak loudly and walk with big dicks. G. Gordon Liddy thinks so too. The convicted Watergate criminal is taken seriously as a political commentator and is a favorite Matthews sidekick. He said of Bush during the mission accomplished flight:
"You know, he's in his flight suit, he's striding across the deck, and he's wearing his parachute harness, you know -- and I've worn those because I parachute -- and it makes the best of his manly characteristic. You go run those -- run that stuff again of him walking across there with the parachute. He has just won every woman's vote in the United States of America. You know, all those women who say size doesn't count -- they're all liars."
If women just swoon at the sight of a phallus, it stands to reason that men must remain in charge. Hillary Clinton, as ready as the rest to pull the trigger, isn't taken seriously by the white man worship cult. She doesn't have a "manly characteristic" to show the world.
There is a very deep longing at work here. It is easy to snicker at George W. Bush clearing brush in Texas, but Karl Rove knew what he was doing when he orchestrated those photo ops. The image of the cowboy, the burly conqueror of a continent, is still an American icon.
"Hillary Clinton, as ready as the rest to pull the trigger, isn't taken seriously by the white man worship cult."
While Republicans get the man-crush treatment, John Edwards is derided as a sissy with girlie hair. He is placed in the so-called top tier among Democratic candidates because he too believes in America's empire, but he is just not vicious enough for the pundit class reveling in their hemanliness. Mitt Romney doesn't garner acclaim just because of his broad shoulders and great chin. Advocating "double Guantanamo" makes him a man's man favorite.
There is no other nation where supposedly respectable people speak of "muscular" foreign policy. Barack Obama longs for "muscular" alliances. It is little wonder that talk of penis size, height and shoulder width are seriously considered as criteria for choosing a president.
The longing for a strong man, previously reserved for third world dictatorships, has taken hold in this country. George W. Bush has brought yet another ugly chicken home to roost. The cowboys are back, clearing brush and clearing the earth of any humans they don't want around. The rest of the world need only get out their way before sundown.
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Kwesi Pratt Jr. is General Secretary of the Socialist Movement of Ghana.
