I know I’m late, but the long weekend swallowed up most of my political anger/impatience/responsiblity.
So, last Friday’s San Francisco Chronicle has this story of a completely, 100% staged media event featuring the Governor of California, who happens to be Arnold Schwarzenegger.
A work crew dug a pothole out of a San Jose street, and Arnold showed up later to fill it.
I am not making this up.
Apparently, there were no actual convenient REAL potholes to fill? Are you kidding me?
Anyway – Schwarzenegger’s press-riggers appear to have given the event the importance of, say, Bush’s Thanksgiving Trip to Iraq.
From the Chronicle:
“Media advisories for the morning San Jose event were not issued until two hours before it started, and — in an unusual move — reporters were not provided with a location, but told to assemble in a parking lot where directions were distributed.”
Apparently, all the stealth is an effort to avoid protesters. Heh.
For more on Gov. Arnold’s penchant for staging the news, check out this entry in SJSU Prof. Dennis Dunleavy’s blog.
Noticed via BoingBoing.