I was transfixed by the televised Watergate trial back when I was in the twelve-to-thirteen-year-old age range. John Dean’s scripted performance was mesmerizing, and I must admit - this youngster developed a bit of a crush on his wife Maureen, sitting stoically and loyally behind him. We eventually had a junior high class led by a brand new teacher named Mr. Rock that consisted of a mock trial. “Rocky” (this nickname was pre-Stallone) would later insist that Gerald Ford should also be impeached for abuse of power once his infamous Presidential Pardon had been granted. I can’t speak for the rest of my young comrades, but an unbreakable feeling of political astuteness has been part of my self-identity ever since.
Incidentally, our family of seven owned two tiny pet turtles, “Rocky” and then “Rocky 2”, which were also pre-Stallone. His ensuing movies, I’ll admit, were a bit more action-packed, but their story (child-suitable, for sure) came first.
Hmm… Might make for a nice animated feature someday…
Getting older is strange in so many ways, and while “wisdom” is a word too hastily thrown out in general, there is a certain delight in being able to recognize patterns develop and circles being completed. And yes. I’m fascinated with the pageantry of impeachment once again.
Trump is so easily recognizable as the villain, just as Nixon was. If Stallone were to make a film in his usual style, our current president would now be awaiting his inevitable third-act comeuppance; perhaps in the manner of Soviet Ivan Drago being unceremoniously knocked out, or Rambo’s variety of outmatched foes being caught wide-eyed in the sudden knowledge of their certain demise. I don’t even know who the people are in “The Expendables” franchise, but I’m sure the correct side of the law is eventually honored. Just as the popcorn is about to run out.
But this time, in real life, something feels different. We never believed Trump could be elected President in the first place, yet here we are. He promised to reveal his taxes, have Mexico pay for a border wall, easily initiate new and better health care, etc, etc, etc. And we all knew he was lying. Yet…
Confidence that justice shall always prevail is not so predominant once one gets older, it seems. Although I’m guessing my twelve-year-old self would see the same serious slippage in the promise of the American Dream were he able to check things out in current times. Would he have cared? I can only guess, but, well… Yes! He almost certainly would have!
As I still do.
So I’ve been glued to the TV screen once again - almost fifty years later. Adam Schiff has been amazing. And every one of those House Managers has absolutely knocked the ball out of the park, in my view. I realize this major effort will likely not end with the result this occasional scriptwriter would prefer. But if Trump gets voted out at the end of this year — 2020! — and goes down in history as the only ONE-TERM IMPEACHED PRESIDENT we’ve ever had — well, I’ll be able to live with that!
We have to remain positive. Justice, in its own sweet time, may just win out again.
And Stallone should make the movie. Maybe with Nancy Pelosi winning by KO as the entire crowd cheers in jubilation.
Maybe I’ll start writing the celebratory closing music now!