A dozen years ago this summer I was chatting during office hours with a UC Davis student who told me why he was supporting Arnold Schwarzenegger for Governor: he wanted Schwarzenegger’s signature forever to adorn his college diploma. Many who took electoral politics seriously were surprised by the choice of the majority of California voters that summer, with Time magazine featuring just one word on its August 18th, 2003 cover: “Ahhnold!?”
Another person who believes his success as a celebrity can transfer to success as a politician, perhaps with far less evidence, is Donald Trump. As you know, the polls tell us that the self-important and bellicose real estate magnate has perched himself at the top of a crowded field of Republican candidates for U.S. president. The media have responded to all the early public interest in Trump’s Twitter wars with Hollywood types (my favorite being this exchange with Modern Family writer Danny Zuker) and other tomfoolery by leading all political coverage with Trump’s latest public appearance or outrageous quip.
Some of the third-tier presidential candidates, such as Rick Perry or Lindsey Graham, have recently discovered that they only get media attention when they are sparring with Trump. Both these career politicians are probably frustrated with the ways that the current Trump-dominated poll numbers and Fox News have contributed to their slow slide to obscurity.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has taken this approach even further: “I realize that the best way to make news is to mention Donald Trump. That’s the gold standard for making news these days,” Jindal said in Iowa today. “So, I’ve decided to randomly put his name into my remarks at various points, thereby ensuring that the news media will cover what I have to say.”
Meanwhile, thinking voters are aghast at what is standing in for political discourse. The most recent debate featured a number of heated exchanges, empty zingers, and stumbling answers to questions, such as this when Mr. Trump was asked for evidence that the Mexican government is purposefully sending drug dealers and rapists to the U.S.: “Border Patrol, I was at the border last week. Border Patrol, people that I deal with, that I talk to, they say this is what’s happening. Because our leaders are stupid. Our politicians are stupid.”
Right-leaning voters have been raising concerns and objections. One of my longstanding Republican friends shared this on her Facebook wall in response to a news article about the field of candidates: “I was on the fence considering all the candidates from both sides, until Trump showed up. Last week I changed my party affiliation. For the R party to even give that chauvinistic jerk two seconds’ consideration was too much for me.”
Perhaps Lindsey Graham is right that, as Saturday’s interview in the Washington Post put it, that “fellow presidential candidate Donald Trump’s derogatory commentary has begun inflicting permanent and possibly fatal damage to the Republican Party brand.” Others are not surprised by the poisonous rhetoric, with the satirical “Borowitz Report” using this headline: “Trump Fails to Back Up Misogynist Slurs with Anti-woman Proposals, Rivals Say.” No matter one’s party affiliation or favorite political “news” network, perhaps this latest foray into celebrity politics will encourage more of us to consider the depth and validity of a candidate’s ideas, rather than his standing among sardonic watchers of reality television shows and action movies.
Tonight’s Pub Quiz will touch upon some of these political topics, but will also delve into the world of boy bands, Oscar-nominated actresses, and whether Joanie really did love Chachi. Expect also questions on auctions, prominent museums, Donald Trump (whether or not it’s true – there he is), desperation, swing states, Leipzig University, second languages, mononyms, wild things, Peter Pan, Hugo and Nebula Award winners, favorite fruits, American Kennel Club findings, something that Clinton and Dole had in common, colorful titles, big theories, film comedies, mafia grave diggers (anagram bait), folk music, three-letter words that start with the letter E, abandon, court cases, surprising touchdowns, a the paradise of a narrowing demographic, geography, and Shakespeare.
Thanks to Jason for guest-hosting the Pub Quiz last week, and to you if you are joining me at the Irish Pub this evening.
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Here are five questions from last week’s quiz:
- Mottos and Slogans: The slogan of what entertainment, social networking and news website is the self-titled “Front page of the internet”? Hint: The site allows registered users to vote submissions up or down the location on its content pages.
- Internet Culture: The latest Donald Trump surge in the presidential polls may remind us of the popular internet slang acronym DFTT, where the “D” stands for “Don’t.” What does DFTT mean?
- Newspaper Headlines: The Dallas Cowboys and the New York Yankees are tied for 2nd place on the list of the world’s most valuable sports franchises with a value of 3.2 billion dollars each. Which European soccer club was recently named by Forbes as the world’s most valuable sports franchise at 3.26 billion dollars?
- Car Companies. Speaking of Great Britain, the ornament that adorns the hood of this British auto maker’s cars is called “The Spirit of Ecstasy.” It is in the form of a woman leaning forward with her arms outstretched behind and above her. Billowing cloth runs from her arms to her back, resembling wings. What car company uses this ornament?
- Know Your Crops. This flowering plant is one of the most important forage crops in the world. It is most often harvested as hay and has the highest feeding value of all common hay crops. In the U.K., South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, they call it Lucerne. What do we call it here in the United States?
P.S. I saw past Pub Quiz winners at three important events this weekend: the Davis book release party of Naomi Williams incredibly-well-reviewed book Landfalls at the Avid Reader, local music impresario Pieter Pastoor’s 70th birthday party at the Natsoulas Gallery, and a celebration of the wedding of Rob Roy, whose team The Ice Cream Socialists won the quiz for an entire summer. Congrats to these upstanding citizens and ambitious artists!