One of my pet peeves when it comes to the media is their lack of ability to provide perspective. When I try to watch coverage of the presidential campaign or Sunday Night Football, the lack of perspective drives me nuts.
Chris “Wishy Washy” Collinsworth always drives me nuts on the Sunday Night Football telecasts with his lack of perspective. Last Sunday’s game had barely started when he talked about what a great chemistry Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams had going only to have to back track through the rest of the game because the Vikings defense was basically frustrating Rodgers.
But I digress. That wasn’t the point I wanted to make. I just couldn’t resist taking a shot at Collinsworth.
Back to the coverage of the presidential campaign. Whenever I need historical perspective, I read about the 1828 election, which rivals any in history when it comes to its negativity.
And I watch movies. Of course, I watch Jimmy Stewart in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” But another movie I like to watch is a much lesser known — but in my opinion vastly underrated — film, “Advise and Consent.”
I have to admit I have a bias here. The movie is based on Allen Drury’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name. Drury was a Porterville High graduate in California, so he comes from the community I come from.
I had the chance to interview Drury and he was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.
Actually, “Advise and Consent” parallels the whole hullabaloo over President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court more than it does this presidential election.
But when it comes to how nasty politics can be, whether it be a presidential election or the nomination of Henry Fonda playing a character who’s nominated to be secretary of state as is the case in “Advise and Consent,” this movie is as timeless as ever.
And it restores to me plenty of perspective.
— Charles Whisnand