Mallard Cocky Roosevelt

Much writing tonight. This is the third post in a row.

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So I tape the news every night and watch it. I often watch the news shows on the 24 hour, but the quality of the features are bit more explorative than the standard TV on the news shows later in the night. So I was watching the piece on the preview for the presidential debates taped from the 5:30 ABC news. It shows W walking and waving, and then the commentator mentions that the president appeared confident and cocky about the upcoming debate. I kind of doubled at the word "cocky." The commentator then went on to say that the president went to his ranch then went bike riding and jogging.

Now "cocky" is a strong word to use in a description. Then I thought of Mallard Fillmore comic strip, in which every three days he uses what I consider over the top descriptions of mock newscasts from ABC blasting the likes of Bill Clinton, Hilary Clinton and/or John Kerry.

I read Mallard Fillmore faithfully along with Boondocks, Duplex, Get Fuzzy and Mark Trail. I have also been reading that new Pearls in Swine- pretty twisted. Anyway, Mallard Fillmore is the comic strip "conservative" response to Doonsbury. I dunno, Doonsbury is repetitive, one note and too long, and boring. Mallard Fillmore on the other hand is quick, all over the place and more dumb than anything else. Now a strip like Boondocks is fresh, interesting and a moving spirit. However Boondocks is dancing around the deep end in which many comics fall- no longer interesting or sharp due to weird unrelated tangents. Many strips have gone over the line. Funky Winkerbean started off clever and goofy, now it has just turned really weird and out of tocuh with really unconnected topics and downright depressing, plus they make it boring. Then others took a less stark move out of glory and into a sea of mediocrity, like the long slow steady decline of Mother Goose and Grimm (Sorry Mister Peters, yes it is true- stick to the Op Ed for the material is so much fresher in turn making your strips taste fresh). And Ziggy recorded a total loss on his third day of publication during new strip probation period. But I ramble...

So I thought about that word "cocky" on ABC news thinking of Mallard Fillmore's comic strip for the strip's creator would often have the big chinned Peter Jennings saying rather over the top descriptions. Was there basis to either the ABC reporter's use of strong language like "cocky?"

Sure, why not? The guy is going into the election with numbers that are up. I imagine he feels his message is getting across to the American people. Well the president did go for a bike ride and also a run. That in a way makes it seem that he is carefree. Not necessarily, but it certainly makes it seem so, especially cuz he is not in the office and out at his ranch. He does go on a lot of vacations.

So I naturally think of other times our nation was at war. I think of FDR. I think of the fireside chats. He sympathized with the great sacrifices that were made. He was physically taking the toll of the war. In fact the stress was too much for him and he passed away while in office. He really embodied the American spirit at the time. The country was not divided, instead it was united. Sober, somber, serious, understanding of the great sacrifices and motivated.

Something ain't right.