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All Politicians Are Celebrities; It's What Kind That Matters

ce·leb·ri·ty

1. Celebration; solemnization. [Obs.]

2. The state or condition of being celebrated; fame; renown; as, the celebrity of Washington.

3. A person of distinction or renown; -- usually in the plural; as, he is one of the celebrities of the place.

-Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

There's been a lot of garbage floating around the media over the past week, as usual. But one of the most annoying issues is the recurring comparison of Senator Barack Obama to international celebrities. Perhaps the most insidious of examples is the recent surfacing of a McCain campaign ad, in which Obama is compared directly to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.

This comparison underscores the ugliness of politics. But more so, it exposes McCain as what he truly is: just another lackluster politician whose merits are so few that he must resort to tarnishing his competitor's image rather than touting his own achievements. It's a shame he had to stoop to such a slimy level, because of all the Republican primary candidates, I originally liked him the best. Now the only thing he has going for him is the fact that he was a prisoner of war who was tortured for six years. And while we all appreciate his service and sacrifice, it's true what Gen. Wesley Clark said: this does not qualify him to be president.

As for Obama's "celebrity" status, is that really such a bad thing? At least he doesn't drive drunk and leak porno videos of him and his wife to the media like the celebrities to which he was compared in McCain's ad. Ronald Reagan, the poster boy of all that is Republican, was a celebrity long before he ever touched politics.

And as for his trip to Europe, why is every conservative whistle blower and bell ringer having such a field day with this? Just because he is not president, he's not allowed to visit other countries? What this should show us is that Sen. Obama is ready and willing to begin rebuilding some of the bonds with our European allies that our current president spent so much of the last eight years urinating on. Some say Obama is getting cocky. Look at Bush, with such statements as, "I'm the decider," and, "You're either with us or against us." Who's being cocky?

America used to be the most respected power in the world. In the last eight years, President Bush and his cronies have single-handedly tarnished our image so badly, many wonder whether it can ever be repaired. Now we have this charismatic senator running for president, a man who embodies in every way a strong deviation from all that's wrong with what we've had for the last eight years (or 200 years, for that matter), a man who is already going to great lengths to try to repair the damage done to our global image and international alliances, and so many millions are resolute to write him off as nothing but a celebrity.

In the world of celebrities, as in movies, there are heroes and villains. Bono, for example, would be a hero—he gives millions to charities to do everything from feeding the hungry to fighting AIDS in Africa. Paris Hilton would be a villain. She has done nothing for anyone but whine and complain and stoke her image as a spoiled little brat. In politics, there are heroes and villains as well. And in the eyes of at least half of America and most of the world, Bush has been nothing but a villain, and many fear that John McCain will continue this legacy. At this point, Obama shows the most promise of being what America and the world need most: a hero.