• Home
  • Blog
  • Contact
The Screaming Moderate

Should auld acquaintance ...

12/30/2014

0 Comments

 

       Many media outlets and bloggers are recapping the year 2014, so I won’t that. After all, moments to remember are yours to create. There are some things I learned that I’ll take into 2015, though:

  • I will not develop Text-neck. Text-neck is the latest physical ailment to worry about. It occurs when folks are looking down reading or writing texts to others, and doing it way too much. If you don’t bump into someone or walk in front of a car, and I hope you don’t, you can give yourself text-neck. (I’m not making that up, it’s potentially the new tennis elbow)
  • I will not overshare. Oversharing is becoming a danger to America, and the world. We text folks what we’re thinking or observing or feeling or wish we were feeling; we post to Facebook when our flights are delayed; we post to Instagram when we spy someone doing something weird in their seat on a flight, like sleeping with his shirt off.  We do it in 140 characters or fewer which, in a way, does test our creativity. But it nearly always results in oversharing, a word deemed Word of the Year by one volume. It also results in less talking to each other. Conversation may be going the way of the hand-written letter
  • I will continue my streak of never attending a movie with the comedy duo of Seth Rogen and James Franco. They learned that the only way they can attract more publicity on a film than an Oscar contender is to threaten the life of a foreign dictator, especially one who is nutty enough to do most anything in retaliation
  • I’ll never fly a Malaysian airline
  • I will continue not to watching cable news unless there was a real major news event and I shall continue that promise. The Ebola frenzy replaced the inane chatter of their inane anchors with “real” news – scaring the bejesus out of the citizenry over a disease that, while extremely dangerous elsewhere, was well under control in this country
  • I will not watch a soccer game. Even though I got into the World Cup the infatuation did not last. I really don’t like watching soccer on television. Same with hockey, really.  The World Cup was different because, like March Madness, each game meant something. Otherwise it’s like watching grass grow, paint dry, or someone walking by me texting

I was going to end with a list of folks we lost this year, folks who meant something to me because I was touched by a performance (Robin Williams, Philip Seymour Hoffman), admired their political leadership (Howard Baker, Jim Brady) or their cultural contributions (Ruby Dee, Maya Angelou) but as I began typing it, I found it almost as depressing as when I learned of their deaths. And, I knew I’d omit some. So, I’ll skip that but they are in my thoughts.

For you, I appreciate you checking this blog now and again. Please, tell a friend. And most importantly, have a happy, healthy new year.

0 Comments

Randomly random thoughts

12/21/2014

1 Comment

 
 CUBA: I have to agree we need to try a new policy after using one for 54 years that never succeeded. No one expects the Castro’s to all of a sudden turn over a new leaf and say, “Oh, OK, let’s have free elections!!” This policy is a longer-term strategy of trying to engage the Cuban people more directly to try to motivate change in the long haul, educating them over time about Americans, the West and more freedoms.

North Korea doesn’t go to the movies. So, let me get this straight. We are having an international incident over a movie. And a Seth Rogen movie at that. Let’s get this in perspective, people. While I, of course, have not seen the movie, my guess it is not a candidate for an Oscar. That doesn’t mean that people who go to bad movies should be denied the right to see (what I’m sure is) a bad movie. But, really? Some little dictator in North Korea is dictating what movies Americans will see? That’s easy to say but he’s also a little dictator who seems to be a bit nuts (I mean, really, pals with Dennis Rodman?) but he’s also a little nut who has control over major weapons and not a lot of good logic to really know how to use them in a sensible way. A silly situation that mushroomed into a serious situation. When the president says “proportional response” let’s remember the proportion of the violation – they have embarrassed a movie studio and in the process demonstrated why these protectors of all that’s right in the world (Hollywood moguls) are as two-faced as many politicians.

Upbeat, confident Obama. After years of being disappointed over President Obama’s inability to be a strong leader, he showed leadership and likeability in his press conference the other day. Maybe he should have lost the Senate a long time ago because it seems to have freed him to be who he is. I always thought the most important responsibility of a president is to lead. He can’t affect a lot of the economy, as evidenced by the strength of the economy lately in spite of the fact that Washington has done literally nothing to affect it. The president, though, can use the bully pulpit to jaw bone the economy in a positive way, which he did effectively the other day. He also showed leadership on Cuba, took a strong position on the North Korea/Sony controversy, and even spoke Hawaiian.

The 2016 president field. The Democrats seem to be plodding toward a Hillary candidacy, even though there is a boomlet from the left for Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. I liken that to the right wing’s push for a Rubio-like standard bearer, even though the mainstream media doesn’t portray it that way. And, Jeb Bush finally publicly basically said he’s in it to win it. Bush pulled a little surprise by his announcement which now forces the other GOP wannabes to reconsider their timetables and candidacies.

Happy Holidays: I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season and a healthy new year! Here’s a little gift for you (click on the link): https://www.portablenorthpole.com/app/video/watch/5496fa00f0bff-5496fa00f0ca0?utm_medium=vidch14003_conf&utm_campaign=oper&user_id=7877646&pixel_source=en_vidch14003_conf&utm_source=watch

Picture
1 Comment

Clinton-Bush, a sequel worth seeing

12/8/2014

0 Comments

 
PictureJeb Bush and Hillary Clinton
                I hope Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton run for president.

               Each is qualified. Each has a philosophy you can agree or disagree with. Each has personal experience with the job and its trials, tribulations, ceremony and responsibly. Each is qualified.

               Fact is, I think a Jeb vs. Hillary race would be a substantive and solid choice for the country. She’s experienced and smart. He’s the same and, for these times, a different kind of Republican who thinks the party needs to lose the primary to win the election. True. A difficult high-wire act, but one  I hope he can accomplish.

               An old political boss of mine, the late Lee Atwater, used to say that to be successful in presidential politics you have to “go around the track at least once,” meaning run at least once before you’re really prepared for the race and the office. Mrs. Clinton certainly has been around the track, in her own right and by being the spouse of a former president. And, in his own way, so has Jeb Bush – having watched a father and brother do it successfully. Maybe it’s even more helpful to watch a relative go through the process because you feel the pains maybe more so than the person on the firing line.

               And, not to put down the literally dozens of others considering running, Hillary and Jeb are the cream of the crop, in my view.

               Thus, I do not subscribe to the theory, with apologies to Barbara Bush, that we’ve had enough Clintons and Bushes. We may have many others in this country who could be president, but we shouldn’t exclude qualified folks for any reason – race, religion, gender, sexual preference or familial connections. Would we have sacrificed Dom DiMaggio because his brother Joe was already in baseball?  (Okay, not the best analogy, but you get my point)

               It seems the Democratic nomination is Hillary’s for the announcing. With Jeb, not as easy especially since he would go into the race already having told the party’s most vocal demographic – right wingers – that a candidate can’t go so far right in the primaries that a U-turn in the general isn’t physically possible. But he has the guts to say it, another reason to support him -- he'll take on the elephant in the room.

               In my view they are the two best candidates out there and another Bush-Clinton race would be an education to watch. I think they both could rise above the type of politics we’ve seen in recent years and return us to a more substantive discussion of issues and approaches to solutions than we’ve seen in a long time. The two families – through ex-President Bill and ex-President George H.W. – have become close, too, another interesting dynamic to a potential race.

               In my fantasy, the country wins either way. Adult leadership for a change. A choice that would be easy for some and difficult for others, but good either way.



0 Comments

I know a place where dreams are born...

12/5/2014

0 Comments

 
PictureMary Martin as Peter Pan
I have a confession: I love musical theater. Always have.

It may have started when I first saw Mary Martin flying around on TV as Peter Pan in the 1950s, not sure. It may have been the 78 RPMs (kids, look it up) my parents had where I first heard “My Fair Lady” or those 45 RPM sets of Broadway shows. I can still sing every word of “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Camelot,” "Guys and Dolls," and a show many don’t remember but I still think is terrific and has relevance today, “Fiorello.” I fill with emotion during overtures in the theater, when the orchestra starts to rev up and literally set the stage.

Which brings me to last night’s production of “Peter Pan” live on NBC. It wasn’t great, but it still kept me watching for three hours. Why? It was live, and it’s always more fun to watch actors live; it’s a musical and, well, it’s Peter Pan. Peter is always played by an adult woman for a variety of reasons, ranging from in England kids under 14 couldn’t work past 9 p.m. and, if it were always done at matinee time,  a boy cast as Peter would mean the other kids’ would need to be scaled down in size, limiting the casting (who says you can’t learn from this blog?).

A lyric from one song in Pan is "I know a place where dreams are born..." which maybe describes my love of musical theater.

Anyway, this was NBC’s second recent effort at producing a live musical in prime time – their first, “The Music Man” while well watched, was horrible (partly owing to the casting of George Castanza as Henry Hill). Which brings me to last night’s show. Not so good. Not only could you see the wires attached to the actors in case thinking good thoughts wasn’t enough to get off the ground, but the acting was, well, like musical theater acting (duh) which means a bit over the top in a musical, which doesn’t play so well on the small screen. Christopher Walken I thought was great casting before I saw him in the role but he kind of sleep walked through it, only getting that twinkle in the eye I like to see in my Captain Hooks a few times.

Allison Williams, who looks a lot like her dad (the NBC anchorman Brian) was good, I thought, but she was always smiling which I found disconcerting even for Peter Pan. Kelli O’Hara, a huge Broadway star, was underused as Mrs. Darling. Walken showed spurts of his terrific-ness but also spurts of, “what am I doing in this drag outfit” though watching Walken tap dance was a little like watching a skit on Saturday Night Live (and I mean that in a good way). The actor (actress?) in the crocodile get-up was very convincing and Smee (played by the same guy who played Mr. Darling), I thought was the energy of the production.

So, a fair, not great show but I want NBC (and other networks) to keep trying. I want to see more live TV and more Broadway on TV.  Please keep trying. This is the kind of reality TV i like.


0 Comments

    RSS Feed

     
    Follow @bjaycooper

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013

    B. Jay Cooper

    B. Jay is a former deputy White House press secretary to Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He also headed the communications offices at the Republican National Committee, U.S. Department of Commerce, and Yale University. He is a former reporter and is the retired deputy managing director of APCO Worldwide's Washington, D.C., office.
    He is the father of three daughters and grandfather of five boys and one girl. He lives in Marion, Mass.

powered by bjaycooper.com