{ACS.028_01} WHO HECKLED BOB? I'll leave that in the air
{ACS.028_02} 'till later. Not to hint Bob should have stayed,
{ACS.028_03} but rather to toss up the theme: "What's fair?"
{ACS.028_04} What's "simulated" in this game they played?

{ACS.028_05} LET'S MOVE ON quickly to the rally speech.
{ACS.028_06} Two hours to prepare to face the crowd --
{ACS.028_07} specifically, "to write." What did they teach?
{ACS.028_08} In what way was the winner well endowed?

{ACS.028_09} KEITH BOYKIN made them cheer. He rhymed his theme!
{ACS.028_10} Yes, forty-nine percent would vote his song
{ACS.028_11} the best -- and though it's not "I Have A Dream,"
{ACS.028_12} his rhyming, written rhetoric was strong.

{ACS.028_13} Do note, when Dr. King spoke, he let time --
{ACS.028_14} the moment of the speaking -- pick which rhyme.

 

{ACS.029_01} LIKE HILLARY, Ms. Witter can't speak well.
{ACS.029_02} She's great in one-on-one -- she can connect.
{ACS.029_03} But on the platform, timing goes to hell.
{ACS.029_04} Her gestures, off the beat, I recollect ...

{ACS.029_05} ... much better than Joe Trippi, who seemed prepped
{ACS.029_06} to praise Ms. Witter "to make things seem right."
{ACS.029_07} (I know I'm rousing dogs that might have slept
{ACS.029_08} on through this point. Some "issues" bring to light.)

{ACS.029_09} THE FRAGMENTS of four-minute "speech" we see
{ACS.029_10} contain three speakers -- six folks read their lines.
{ACS.029_11} Ms. Riley, Mack, and Vanech let words be
{ACS.029_12} a vehicle which cruised amidst the signs ...

{ACS.029_13} ... presented by "the people" as they heard.
{ACS.029_14} Those who can't speak think risk like that absurd.



{ACS.030_01} WHICH BRINGS US BACK to Vanech who was "killed"
{ACS.030_02} on cam'ra by "a heckler." Very strange
{ACS.030_03} behavior from a crowd completely filled
{ACS.030_04} with people who took time to rearrange ...

{ACS.030_05} ... their schedule to pretend to care about
{ACS.030_06} democracy on cam'ra. Would they lack
{ACS.030_07} the patient grace to hear each speaker out
{ACS.030_08} four minutes without launching an attack?

{ACS.030_09} That sounds like a producer with a frame
{ACS.030_10} for "how the story goes." The way they see
{ACS.030_11} what's happening within their little game.
{ACS.030_12} A vision with which I quite disagree.

{ACS.030_13} Bob's speech might have gone better than you think
{ACS.030_14} if AmCan had not stuck in their own kink.

 


{ACS.031_01} IN ANY CASE, the speeches didn't count,
{ACS.031_02} except to clamp Joe Trippi on the legs
{ACS.031_03} of Boykin -- who ignores him as they mount
{ACS.031_04} their strategy their way. As Trippi begs ...

{ACS.031_05} ... to do what he says so that he won't look
{ACS.031_06} as useless as he is in Cutler's show.
{ACS.031_07} Keith won't repeat the lines in Trippi's book.
{ACS.031_08} "You're arrogant," says Trippi as they go ...

{ACS.031_09} ... on their own way, especi'lly at the start.
{ACS.031_10} While Keith types email and his partner phones,
{ACS.031_11} Joe Trippi tries to lead their rolling cart
{ACS.031_12} outside. "No coffee breaks," Joe Trippi moans.

{ACS.031_13} Yes, Keith and partner know what they must do.
{ACS.031_14} Ignore Joe Trippi, while they e-mail you.

 

{ACS.032_01} WHILE WITTER TELEPORTS her network loose ...
{ACS.032_02} And Friedrich's PETA lists release their net ...
{ACS.032_03} Foot-soldier candidates work hard to goose
{ACS.032_04} some strangers on the street. Ask each they met ...

{ACS.032_05} ... to dial a number on their cellphone pad.
{ACS.032_06} While candidates with laptops would prevail
{ACS.032_07} -- including Keith with Trippi hopping mad --
{ACS.032_08} the story of the day is "Bob Will Fail."

{ACS.032_09} LAST WEEK they "proved" a Gephardt gal could flop.
{ACS.032_10} This week the story will be those with wealth
{ACS.032_11} will not have an advantage. Grab a mop.
{ACS.032_12} The game will prove itself in perfect health.

{ACS.032_13} Poor Bob will make a mess as best he can.
{ACS.032_14} The Loser of the Week, yes, Bob's our man. 



{ACS.033_01} BEFORE HE GOES, Bob will make Lisa spit
{ACS.033_02} out my own fav'rite word, and illustrate
{ACS.033_03} the meaning beautif'lly. She says BULLSHIT
{ACS.033_04} regarding Bob's vague noise which I don't rate ..

{ACS.033_05} ... as bullshit -- only useless, filler crap.
{ACS.033_06} No, Lisa spouts the bullshit -- on Bob leans:
{ACS.033_07} "You got it wrong" her "party" did not lap 
{ACS.033_08} the others on their run. By this she means ...

{ACS.033_09} ... her network's not a "party" -- they just choose
{ACS.033_10} the "values" that she has -- the ones they share.
{ACS.033_11} A packaged set of values she embues
{ACS.033_12} with "not-a-party." Poor Bob pulls his hair.

{ACS.033_13} He's sloppy with his words, that's poor Bob's sin.
{ACS.033_14} While PR expert Lisa's "got that spin."


{ACS.034_01} DID BOB DESERVE to lose? Of course, he did.
{ACS.034_02} BUT WHY did they pick Bob to play at all?
{ACS.034_03} Ten slots to fill with story chips to bid
{ACS.034_04} the game along. Some picks to eas'ly fall ...

{ACS.034_05} ... to prove a point? Perhaps to make a case?
{ACS.034_06} Or maybe just to plan "the way it goes."
{ACS.034_07} A game without surprise to save the face
{ACS.034_08} of game designers who'd step on their toes ...

{ACS.034_09} ... if anything surprising came their way.
{ACS.034_10} The game of politics is power's field.
{ACS.034_11} And nothing on TV can change the play
{ACS.034_12} of forces in the networks well concealed ...

{ACS.034_13} ... within plain sight. This sonnet must conclude
{ACS.034_14} this night of work on Boke and Cutler's feud. {smile}

# # #



	
         
                
                
                
                


HAIKU CODA

Bob will be surprised

that I cut him some strange slack.

He's still "my" villain. {smile}