How I became the story at the Great Debate of '96

Mon, 07 Oct 1996 19:24:00 +0000

HARTFORD,CONN.--
Most of the journalists covering the presidential debate last night watched
it on one of many television monitors set up throughout a massive press
room in the basement of the Hartford Civic Center, many blocks away from
the Bushnell Theatre, where the debate was actually being held. This army of reporters
marched to Hartford from a thousand far-flung cities in order to watch the debate on
TV. Catering for the media room was courtesy of nicotine pusher Philip Morris and its
subsidiary, Kraft, which provided pasta (along with large containers of
Kraft brand parmesan cheese) and salad (with a selection of Kraft brand
salad dressings). At another table, various Philip Morris-related goodies
were being doled out (no pun intended), including reporter's notebooks with
the Philip Morris imprint and disposable cameras festooned with logos for
Lite beer, Marlboro cigarettes, Maxwell House coffee, Oscar Meyer weiners,
Tang, Jello, and Post cereal -- all Philip Morris brands. They were also
handing out toy whistles shaped like the Oscar Meyer weinermobile, and --
my personal favorite -- leftover "limited convention edition" boxes of
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese decorated with either an elephant or a donkey, and
holding signs for their respective parties. Inside one finds macaroni
noodles shaped like elephants or donkeys, and on the back, a "presidential
IQ test" which makes clear the connection between American democracy and
Macaroni & Cheese. Who was it that said "Speak softly, but carry a big
bowl of KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese?" Or, "It is morning again in America.
KRAFT Macaroni & Cheese is being served." Commenting on the increasing
cheesiness of American politics is almost too cheap a metaphor.

Salon.com > Tom Tomorrow

How I became the story at the Great Debate of '96