It’s a Conspiracy I Tell Ya!

By now you will have heard of the ABC program Commander in Chief. My sources (ok, so the green men in the sky can by kind of flaky sometimes, but some of their intel is spot-on), tell me that the show was devised and is writen by EXTREME RIGHT WING FASCIST SEXISTS.

Now, why would EXTREME RIGHT WING FASCIST SEXISTS do a show about a woman president? Have you seen it? It’s a horrible show. Badly written, uncertainly acted. As if it were designed to make American’s never want to vote for a woman President because hell, if Geena Davis looks this uncomfortable and unsure of herself how does a real woman President stand a chance.

Now, this may have started out as a silly argument that I made up because it’s a bad show. But have you seen the website? If someone isn’t writing a paper about it yet, they should be. I would if I had the time. I mean, come on people, “Mackenzie Watch?” We would never call Martin Sheen’s President by his first name or structure a West Wing website like a patronizing, patriarchal and “real” blogsite.

The creator of the show is Rod Lurie, who wrote and directed The Contender. If you’ve seen this movie and/or have further evidence of Lurie’s connection to the EXTREME RIGHT WING FASCIST SEXISTS (and please note, I’m not claiming he necessarily is one), please let me know. Unfortunately his creation and the way in which ABC is marketing it on their website is quitely undermining any equality it might, on the surface, espouse. One of the key indications of this is that Jeb Bartlett’s representation as father and husband took a (deservedly) back seat to his position as President. Why can’t we do the same for the Mackenzie Allen character? Because she is a woman, a married woman, a married mother, her personal life becomes much more of a focus (not to mention her body, but that’s a whole other rant). Men operate in the public sphere and women in the private. It’s a tired and outworn bias, but still operating in our society and on our televisions, even when the woman is President of the fucking USA her position as wife and mother is foregrounded over her political acumen, her devotion to public service, her professionalism, her intelligence or her capabilities.

Enough. It’s too late to go on. Here’s hoping that 1) Commander in Chief is cancelled soon in order to limit the damage it is causing and 2) that a smart and capable woman actually does become our President sometime in the near future. As the man said, Good Night, and Good Luck.

On this day..

• Subway Haiku #4 - 2005