IMAGINARY FRIENDS

"I was talking to a friend the other day..."

Remember Dick Gephardt? I always thought if the Democrats had gone with him, they would have had a better chance at winning over Senator Kerry in 2004 - except the name, I just can't envision a President Gephardt. One of his big rhetorical tricks was to relate supposed conversations he had about things. These would always support whatever leftist scheme or socialist idea Gephardt was supporting at the time, like the rich friend who loved tax increases on the rich, or the doctor who wanted socialized medicine.

Pretty much everyone knew these were basically lies, or to put it more charitably, they were useful fictions, tales told to enhance a speech. Pastors do it to, and I always have hated it, especially from someone who in theory at least would tell you its a sin to bear false witness. You know the sort of story, there are books of them out there, helpful sermon illustrations which pastors will adapt and tell as if it happened to them.

Recently President Obama told a tale which went like this:

"I was up at the G20 -- just a little aside -- I was up at the G20, and some of you saw those big flags and all the world leaders come in and Michelle and I are shaking hands with them," the president said. "One of the leaders -- I won't mention who it was -- he comes up to me. We take the picture, we go behind.

"He says, 'Barack, explain to me this health care debate.'

"He says, 'We don't understand it. You're trying to make sure everybody has health care and they're putting a Hitler mustache on you -- I don't -- that doesn't make sense to me. Explain that to me.'"

And the first thing I thought of was that this is one of those stories, a useful fiction told to make a point. A story, not an actual event, not an anecdote taken from his life. Maybe it really happened, and maybe it's a mix of Gephard's imaginary friends and Senator Kerry's "foreign leaders."

Either way, it was pretty poor stuff, a good sample of the TV Talkshow-ification of US politics: lots of soundbite and sophistry, filled with emotional appeal but no content or reason.