K on Barack Obama

[highlyeccentric]

I keep getting weirded out by all the Obama-mania, and find that the best way to think of it is not so much as people electing a politician, but as America electing a temporary king. It is weird to get so het up about a politician, but if you're treating someone as the consummate symbol of your nation, that's close enough to a king for me.

Says K just now: "I keep wanting to slap people on my flist and say "he's just a man!... You're right about the king thing, Americans electing their king. It's like the English thing where the King can cure scrofula. Except the whole country's got scrofula. Which is pretty gross, actually."

Comments

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

Not saying Whitlam wasn't great: I just have this expectation thanks to high school history that every time a popular hero politician comes along, a BRICK WILL DROP ON YOUR HEAD.

Although the US doesn't have Sir John Ker looming, ten points to them.

Anyway. Just the *position* of US President gets far more adulation than I'm comfortable with...

[areyoustrange.livejournal.com]

Good, for a second I thought you were talking smack about Whitlam. Then I would have had a bit of a sook.

Yeah this is why I'm iffy about Australia becoming a republic. I tend to get a touch of the If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix Its because I'm scared of America's presidential style.

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

Exactly. QEII isn't so bad. She leaves us alone and we leave HER alone and no one thinks she has a mandate to do anything. *hums* Her Majesty's a pretty nice girl, but she's pretty much obsolete... *hum hum hum*