This week, we welcome a band that isn't known to a lot of Americans: Manic Street Preachers, out of Wales in the U.K. The Manics have had eight albums and ten singles in the U.K. Top Ten, yet are little-known in the U.S. It may be because they come from the left of the political spectrum, with song titles like "The Masses Against the Classes," "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next," and--this week's video--"The Love Of Richard Nixon."
In fact, maybe this week's blog should be called "Richard Nixon, Framed," because the video is essentially a look at the career of the 37th American president. From the kitchen debate with Khrushchev to the opening of China to his resignation, we see Nixon at his highest and lowest.
Framed is absolutely apolitical, of course, so our captions--while amusing!--are sensationally even-handed this week. We do this as a service to both our nation ("Serving white people for over 200 years") and our readers ("They pay this guy?").
Please enjoy this excellent installment of Framed and we'll see you next week!
1 -- "Hello, China! I hope you intellectuals brought a donkey; you'll be kissing your asses goodbye tonight! Oh, I kid you intellectuals! Hey now! Gang of Four's in the house!"
2 -- Military scientists were stunned to discover that one thing that protected our troops better than "Jesus Helmets" was not being there in the first place!
3 -- American exceptionalism: Catch the fever!
4 -- Everyone agreed that this was one darn good wall!
5 -- The "Who Would Kill His Own Mother To Get Elected?" tour was off and running!
6 -- "So it's agreed, Mr. Chairman? We cede control of the world's economy to China in 40 years?"
7 -- "And, to show our goodwill, we have to elect a Muslim president? Done! What the hell, we'll even make him black! Ha ha ha!"
8 -- We don't want to say Nixon was evil, but his left hand actually wanted to kill him! Seriously!
9 -- When the talented president mastered ventriloquism, cabinet meetings were lightened by many confessions of same-sex attraction!
10 -- "Fellow citizens, the joint Soviet-American study to determine if world leaders look like brutal simians has yielded interesting results."
11 -- "Well, we could have Daniel Ellsberg killed, but that would be wrong. Testing. Testing."
12 -- "No, no, Mr. President. Your nose clearly wins."