Editor,
One of my all-time favorite TV shows is a U.K. miniseries called Black Mirror. It’s a mix of The Twilight Zone and cultural satire. In one episode, a comedian and his manager concoct a scheme to run an animated character, Waldo, against an incumbent politician.
Initially they simply harass this politician for cheap, irreverent laughs and publicity, but after being challenged directly by the politician, the comedian slips, drops his act, and expresses deep disdain for the political system, the politician and what he represents, all through Waldo. Overnight this puppet becomes a competitive candidate and rockets to the top of the polls.
Initially the comedian and his team are ecstatic, but as he continues to lead the polls, he and only he realizes what he has done: his creation isn’t running for anything, but against everything — running on anger, jadedness and political nihilism. Waldo was unbeatably popular precisely because it stood for nothing, and hid behind a veil of irreverence passed off as honesty.
Every time I hear or read about Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, I can’t help but contemplate the similarities between the man himself and this animated character. He feeds off distraction, misdirection and controversy. His racism and sexism is forgiven or even cheered because it is “honest.”
In the end, I strongly suspect that when a Republican nominee is chosen, it won’t be him, but I find his current position atop the polls horrifying. At this stage in a campaign most candidates are short on policy issues, but Trump is remarkable in that he doesn’t seem to have any policy platform at all, and judging by the letters you recently received, it’s clear that’s just fine with many Americans on both sides of any given issue. We will get the candidates we deserve.
Sincerely,
Kevin Pham
UNM student
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