“Exclusive Rights” To An Inaugural Ceremony?
HBO and the “star-studded event” can kiss my ass
NEW YORK — HBO will kick off coverage of Inauguration Week with an exclusive Sunday, Jan. 18, telecast of the star-studded opening ceremony, two days before the saturation coverage of President Barack Obama’s inauguration begins in earnest.
In 1993, HBO paid $1.5 million to the Presidential Inaugural Committee to exclusively televise Bill Clinton’s kickoff from the Lincoln Memorial, something that annoyed non-HBO subscribers who weren’t able to watch the concert by Bob Dylan and Diana Ross.
This time around, HBO — which has been awarded the rights for an undisclosed sum — is planning to offer the event free to cable and satellite subscribers, regardless of whether they have the pay channel or not. The entertainment lineup for the event, which may also be streamed, hasn’t yet been announced, but both Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are scheduled to attend.
And why is there a “star-studded” opening ceremony in the first place? It’s not the Olympics.
What’s next… “The Washington Monument, brought to you by Viagra”?
Morality | Mr. Bingley | 
January 7, 2009 7:01 am
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I. Will. Not. Watch.
Will The One be reimbursing the government for their costs, security and such?
Bleah!
I won’t watch either, Jim, but not due to any ideological considerations. I’ve never* watched one; the pomp just doesn’t interest me in the slightest.
*actually, I do have a memory of watching Nixon’s in 1969.
Agreed. Enough with treating civic servants like rock stars already.
Small beer. It’s a smooth transition of power and it only happens once every four years. It’s the Super Bowl of politics. It should be a gala event.
We should celebrate ourselves and the Constitution, though, it seems to me.
Essentially, that’s what all of those inauguration festivities are, Mr B. American citizens celebrating America.
American citizens celebrating America.
More like retailers celebrating Christmas, Rob. At least for this particular inauguration.
Remember, this is the next President assuming office. It calls for pomp and ceremony, not bread and circuses.
It will be the Ding Reid Bros. and Barack Obama Circus, Jeff.
There will be something for everyone, Jeff. There will be pomp and ceremony for you purists, bread and circuses for the others, and coal for those who want it.
I hope there will be carbon offsets for that coal, Rob!
Not sure about that, Mr B. I’ll have to check my invitation. 🙂 Seriously, I just don’t see this as that big a deal. If a few enterprising souls are profiting from a great American event, I have no problem with it. And I realize a good bit, probably the majority, of it will be tacky.
The event will climax with Obama walking across the reflecting pool and feeding the entire crowd with a Happy Meal and a Mocha Latte.
I just want my bail-out.
What THS said, what the hell.
And to Rob’s point, Bush had a similar event at the same place back in 2001.
I don’t mind Obama supporters having their moment, but the unprofessional fawning from the MSM is getting tough to take, and will get even worse in the next few weeks I’m sure. Why, it’s almost like they are blatantly in the tank for the guy.
I don’t begrudge a celebration, Rob, and not even souvenirs; heck, just watch what happens when the Pope visits some place.
As Dave says, it’s the fawning that I find very creepy, and not just from the MSM. I’ve seen more TV commercials for “Obama inauguration gold coins” than I have for “male enhancement”. If this is how the Obama Administration is going to be treated for the next four years, I’m unplugging the boob tube. NO President has earned that. Respect, yes. Worship? Nope.
And, like the Sis, I want my bail out, and I want it now! In cash. Preferably gold.
I agree with most everything you say, Rob; I guess what just sticks in my craw is the ‘exclusive rights’ crap.
Back off you two…
I said it FIRST, so I get mine FIRST.
Yo.
Fine, Sis, you go first. But you get paper, I have dibs on the bullion.
Wait, it’s gonna be available free to non-subscribers?
Must. Start. Inventing. Drinking. Game.
Fine, THS gets the paper, Jeff gets the gold, I get the Jim Beam.
Must. Start. Inventing. Drinking. Game.
“MSM Fawning”: Every time Chris Matthews gets a tingle in his leg, take a drink.
That’s good for only one possible, Jeff, unless Mathews is taking Obamagra, which very well could be. Kate’s splendid idea is going to take some thinking, unless we’re going to go with the obvious ones that will have us in a coma within 15 minutes.
Shoot, it just occurred to me that I’ll be working that day. It might be worth a vacation day if we do it right though.
OK, how about taking a drink when:
* A woman faints in the presence of The Mighty O!
* Hillary and Bill hug and/or nuzzle (holding hands counts only if they are smiling)
* The phrase “Hope and Change” is spoken by some MSM minion
* Jesse Jackson weeps with joy. If it’s faux joy, take two drinks.
* Some Democratic member of Congress, or Obama’s administration, utters the phrase “the former Bush administration”. Variations of the phrase are allowable, but you must chant “Hope! Change!” 3 times before drinking.
Others?
Well, that will take care of the booze I bought over the holidays. And my liver.
Drink every time Obama says “Let me be clear” in his inaugural speech. Make it a double if what he follows is completely unclear. A triple if it’s clear that he’s completely lying about it.
Geesh, ‘Fly, if we us your method we won’t last 15 minutes!
er, “use” I means
The day after the Inaugural is my 50th birthday. Thanks America for a wonderful present. You shouldn’t have.
I mean it. You shouldn’t have.
I thought that was the idea, Andrea. A liver transplant is a great justification for a bail out.