Riffing

Perhaps, as Mwanji humorously suggests, music really isn't a healing force in the universe. But if, like TIG, we want (again humorously) to get into the issue of having / not having rhythm, something tells me we’d all be a lot better off if this recently-retired, morally-deficient, and tragically-coiffed fellow (not to mention the folks “dancing” around him, including at least one journalist who should have known better) had even the barest hint of “groove” or “soul.”

Actually, I'm not sure this is funny (though it was featured as a bit on Letterman a while back) -- at least not in this "raw feed" form. I mean, the clip is silly enough, and it's hard not to laugh, but given the fact that Rove seems to be laughing too, in the end this comes off as just another diversionary tactic. See? He can't be the spawn of Satan -- he's too goofy!

It was in some ways more jarring (and more effective as dada) to see this clip (for the first time, in my case) as background during a story on Rove's retirement last night on Countdown. It was run entirely uncontextualized (I had to YouTube it before I knew where it came from) during Olbermann's interview with James Moore (I think). Presented matter-of-factly as representative Rove footage, the effect was more comic in a cut-to-the-quick kind of way, and ultimately a little disorienting too. Oh yeah. This is how bad it has gotten. It was like watching Hitler kiss a baby: awkward and malevolent all at once.

Of course, "Virginia" and her fellow (self-described) "Rovehos" might not agree.