Another example of 'reality TV'

Maybe it's just sour grapes on my part, but the key person behind most presidential speeches is no longer the speechwriter, I guess. It's the one who stages the event and picks the people to sit behind the podium, facing out at the viewer.

Where do they get these folks, Central Casting? They appear to be a cross section of Americans, all of them hanging on the president's every word with approval. Obviously we're supposed to relate to them and receive the message with equal acceptance.

Except that I find myself ignoring the speech and paying more attention to this living wallpaper. (Did that guy in the back row just pick his nose? I wonder if you can see the teleprompters from there. I think the woman in the front row is having a hard time keeping her eyes open.)

Now, I can relate to that.