Posted by Tom Foreman, CNN Correspondent on Anderson Cooper 360° Blog
I was riding the Metro train to work in Washington, D.C., this morning, bleary-eyed and headachy from staying up half the night to cover the State of the Union, when a thought hit me like a football to Marcia Brady’s nose: If politics has really devolved into only so much political theater, why don’t we treat it that way?
Now, I know that there are plenty of Democrats and Republicans who really want to help with the serious work of the nation: Spurring the economy, supporting families, protecting our security. But these Super Bowl political events, such as the State of the Union address, are really about policy second, putting on a show first.
So I thought, let’s go through all the moments of the speech and give out some awards, just like we do for movies.
Best Actor: Senator Bill Frist acting like he wasn’t using every moment in front of the camera to campaign for his own presidency.
Worst Actress: Hillary Clinton trying to force a smile after President Bush invoked the name of her husband in a bid for Democratic applause.
Best Drama: Samuel Alito’s agonizing struggle over whether or not to clap.
Best Direction: Mindless lockstep of Reds and Blues cheering or grousing on cue.
Best Walk-On: Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco…a not so subtle reminder that big problems remain in the Deep South.
Worst Walk-Off: Anti-war protestor Cindy Sheehan. She got herself into the chamber, but then got thrown out for revealing her antiwar t-shirt before the president even arrived. Talk about missing your cue.
Best Supporting Actress: Laura Bush. Who can argue?
Best Comedy: Dave Chappelle. No, he wasn’t there, but it sure would have been funny.
Best Picture: OK, no kidding here. The family of Marine Staff Sergeant Dan Clay, who was killed in Iraq, displayed dignity, bravery and respect in a room full of political posturing. By far, their appearance was the most compelling moment of the night.