Archive for September 25th, 2008
John McCain’s ‘Dive of Death’
WASHINGTON — John McCain’s “Dive of Death” wasn’t, after all — the Republican magician and political showman ended up alive on Wednesday night following his 60 second stunt of turning his campaign upside down, to return to Washington and address the country’s financial crisis.
McCain, 72, had been dangling from a political umbilical cord attached to a large papier-mache sculpture of Sarah Palin, built high over the White House, since the Republican National Convention, except for regular breaks for resuscitation and medical checks during which he was somewhat coherent for periods of a few to several minutes each.
However, the McCain campaign spectacle ended abruptly on Wednesday, during a nationally telecast television special, which was filled out with taped footage of McCain performing and interacting with voters across the country, and several “do not try this at home”-type disclaimers.
But McCain had one more illusion for his fellow Americans: after suspending his campaign on Wednesday, McCain plummeted more than 3 points in popularity, while swinging briefly from the ‘Palin cable’.
He then seemingly disappeared into the night sky, high above the White House, as President Bush, Senator Obama, and stunned audience members looked on in amazement.
McCain said the stunt got easier after the initial press conference, as his body (and the American public) adjusted to the shock, and he maintained that he is alive enough to sign autographs, take pictures and even do card tricks while his campaign is suspended.
The stunt was only the latest in a series of McCain’s public antics. In October 1967 he spent 1,980 days inside a prison camp in North Vietnam, and in 1979 he spent 10 months dating Cindy Lou Hensley while married to his first wife Carol Shepp.
McCain has also spent the last 24 hours inside the transparent box of illusions that have become his hopes to win the November presidential election.
Original photo credit: NatalieHernandez (with digital assistance from JS)
Tags: President Bush | opinion | United States | World | McCain | Obama | satire | JOHN MCCAIN | presidential campaign | culturite | McCain suspends campaign | bush bailout | dive of death | john mccain dive of death | u.s. election | david blaine dive of death
David Blaine’s Anti-Climactic ‘Dive of Death’
As NowPublic member asterix611 previously reported, David Blaine concluded his 60 hours of (occasionally) hanging upside down in New York City with a “Dive of Death” that wasn’t a dive, didn’t risk death, and was utterly anti-climactic.
The underwhelmingly mundane finish to Blaine’s latest endurance stunt was met with boos, shouts, and very little applause by the audience gathered at the site and, by most accounts, David Blaine embarrassed himself and did away with the very little credibility he had left.
What’s your take on this pseudo-stunt?
Magician David Blaine was booed by an on-looking audience at the anti-climactic end to his Dive of Death stunt in New York City last night.
The US illusionist was taunted by members of the crowd throughout his three-day stunt amid claims he cheated by not hanging upside down for the duration, as expected.
Instead the 35 year-old took hourly breaks, standing on a platform to drink water and urinate to the disappointment of fans.
And at the end of a two-hour finale live on US television Blaine ignored the constant boos and waved to the crowd before jumping from the top of the 44-ft high metal frame that had been holding him up for the previous 60 hours (not including breaks!).
But even that was pathetic as he was clearly harnessed and attached to a wire as he slowly neared the ground before being hoisted into the night sky to “disappear”.
Other audience members were equally unimpressed by the “Dive” finale:
[T]he dive looked more like a bungee jump.
Shortly after 11 p.m., Blaine nodded and smiled to hundreds of fans watching the stunt as they screamed, “Jump! Jump!” and, “Do it!”
So he did, dropping straight down from the platform and touching the stage below lightly with his toes before cables pulled him back up.
He then hung in the air like a sack of potatoes with a goofy grin on his face, occasionally kicking his legs as though he were running.
The stunt, which aired as part of a two-hour ABC television special Wednesday night, ended with Blaine floating off into the night attached to giant balloons.
The finale drew more boos than cheers from the crowd, but his faithful fans nevertheless were satisfied.
Ivy Acevedo, 20, a family counselor from the Bronx, said of the show, “It was amazing. He really pulled it off.”
But Kenneth Leonor of Newark, a 22-year-old businessman and part-time magician, called the three hours he spent in the park a waste of time.
“I think it was ridiculous,” Leonor said. “Everybody was robbed of their time. Everyone thought he was going to jump, but he didn’t live up to his expectations.”
But the audience weren’t the only ones whose expectations weren’t met. Blaine himself admitted on Thursday that the finale did not go according to plan:
Magician-daredevil David Blaine says he’s unhappy with how he ended his latest stunt: hanging upside-down without a net high over Central Park for 60 hours.
The 35-year-old endurance artist, who completed the stunt Wednesday night, expressed his disappointment in an appearance Thursday morning on “Live With Regis and Kelly.”
“I had dreamed up the most amazing ending for a stunt ever,” he said.
Blaine said his grand finale of diving from a platform 44 feet to the ground while attached to a harness didn’t go according to plan. He was supposed to jump and, at 10 feet, be swept away by a bunch of helium-filled balloons.
Instead, he dangled awkwardly for a moment before disappearing in an ascent into the night sky.
Despite recommendations not to jump due to high winds, Blaine did it anyway but the result was definitely less than impressive and, it seems, a significant disappointment to everyone — including the magician himself.
Tags: New York | Culture | NYC | performance | video | United States | artist | endurance | stunt | magician | Magic | audience | David Blaine | culturite | david blaine dive of death video | dive of death
Bush Addresses America’s ‘Financial Crisis’
President George Bush completed a national address Wednesday evening in which he spoke of the government’s planned $700 billion bailout program to stave off what appears to be a catastrophic national financial crisis.
President Bush used a prime-time TV address on Wednesday night to press his case for a $700 billion bailout of the nation’s shaky financial system.
The aim of Bush’s proposal is to restore confidence to the credit markets, which are at risk of freezing. Should that happen, experts say, the U.S. economy could seize up – threatening easy lending to businesses and consumers, a loss of jobs and a severe economic downturn.
“We are in the midst of a serious financial crisis,” Bush said.
Banks have restricted lending, credit markets have frozen and businesses and families can’t afford to borrow, Bush said.
“The market is not functioning properly. There is a widespread loss of confidence,” he said. “America could slip into a widespread financial panic.”
President Bush, Barack Obama, and John McCain are planning to attend a meeting at the White House on Thursday to discuss the proposed bailout:
The program, first unveiled six days ago, would amount to the most sweeping economic intervention by the government since the Great Depression. The high-stakes debate over it gained rapid momentum on Wednesday.
Bush has called a White House meeting for Thursday afternoon to discuss the bailout. Congressional leaders and presidential candidates John McCain and Barrack Obama are expected to attend.
Tags: TV | Business | George Bush | economy | President Bush | United States | World | McCain | Crisis | Obama | US Economy | bailout | Financial crisis | US Election | McCain suspends campaign | bush bailout | 700 billion | bush address | Bush speech
McCain and Obama Issue Joint Statement
The following is a transcript of the joint statement issued Wednesday by Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, in light of McCain’s decision earlier today to suspend his campaign.
Both senators have pledged to work together protect the American economy at a time of unpredecented crisis.
“The American people are facing a moment of economic crisis. No matter how this began, we all have a responsibility to work through it and restore confidence in our economy. The jobs, savings, and prosperity of the American people are at stake.
“Now is a time to come together – Democrats and Republicans – in a spirit of cooperation for the sake of the American people. The plan that has been submitted to Congress by the Bush Administration is flawed, but the effort to protect the American economy must not fail.
This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. Now is our chance to come together to prove that Washington is once again capable of leading this country.”
Speaking for himself, Senator Obama outlined the following principles that he calls on Senator McCain to support:
I believe that several core principles should guide this legislation.
First, there must be oversight. We should not hand over a blank check to the discretion of one man. We support an independent, bipartisan board to ensure accountability and complete transparency.
Second, we need to protect taxpayers. There should be a path for taxpayers to recover their money, and to turn a profit if Wall Street prospers.
Third, no Wall Street executive should profit from taxpayer dollars. This plan cannot be a welfare program for CEOs whose greed and irresponsibility has contributed to this crisis.
Fourth, we must help families who are struggling to stay in their homes. We cannot bail out Wall Street without helping millions of families facing foreclosure on Main Street.
Fifth, we both agree that this financial rescue package should move on its own without any earmarks or other measures. We have different views about the need for other action, but this must be a clean bill.
This is a time to rise above politics for the good of the country. We cannot risk an economic catastrophe. This is not a Democratic problem or a Republican problem – this is an American problem. Now, we must find an American solution.
Tags: Politics | Washington | democrat | republican | economy | Barack Obama | Senator | United States | World | McCain | Obama | JOHN MCCAIN | Barack | presidential candidate | economic crisis | McCain suspends campaign | joint statement
