The Bushes: A Whole New Teeming Clan
Dear Ted:
Thinking about all the cult-of-celebrity
stories people are writing now and how frightened folks are at the prospect of
wrestlers, developers, and movie stars entering politics. I remember all the
George Murphy and early Reagan jokes (Jack Warner: "No, not Reagan for
president. Jimmy Stewart for president and Ronald Reagan as his best friend").
When you think about it, none of the three current "serious" boys arrived at
fame through public-policy acumen. Gore and Bush had famous (eponymous)
daddies. And Bradley was a hoop wizard. Once in the public eye, these fellows
parlayed their chips. It's like all of American society, really. Privilege has
its advantages, as they say. Famous sons of famous men are remarkable when they
don't take their place at the top of things. JFK Jr. was remarkable for not
being remarkable. Folks couldn't get over that he wasn't in office or, at
least, in the movies. His death reminded people that the later chapters of his
life were not going to play out as they had dreamed them. I don't think we ever
completely got over the allure of royalty. Our favorite soap operas seem to be
about dynasties; generations handing down traditions of abuse and debauchery of
various kinds.
So, I think Georgie excites us with the notion of
the whole teeming Bush clan moving back into the limelight. It won't be the
stale Bush administration we knew. We now have a panoply of archetypes we know
and are, I think, already responding to. The young slacker Bush, called by his
country, avenging his father against the sinful pretender. The ardent, pious
wife, taming the young prince, guiding him to his glorious destiny. The
chuckle-headed old king, jumping from planes, bouncing grandchildren on his
knee. The powerful and benevolent queen mum. The equally ambitious younger
brother who will not take a cabinet post (will there be family rivalry?). And
finally, the two beautiful twin daughters. Who will date and/or bed them and
move in to the circle? Ah, we breathlessly await the next exciting episode.
How could Warren Beatty, let alone any of the others compete, with that? You
say it's policy you want to discuss? Campaign-finance reform? Welfare? NAFTA?
What channel are you watching?
Don't wake me,
Steve
