KELLY
The political rhetoric and all that other hyped-up talk is expected and the snide comments about the other party is par for the course during a campaign. But Lawd, can somebody please tell politicians to stop trying to dance?
There is always lots of music and the human body will eventually start to move to that music. But that's not exactly dancing. For these movements to be considered dancing, they have to have some level of coordination which apparently, once you are a politician, you don't have!
P.J. Patterson wasn't bad on the dance floor, but then most people are too blinded by his shirts to notice his dance steps anyway. I've never seen the Opposition Leader or the Honourable Prime Minister 'drop foot' in person, but from the pictures I've seen, they can handle themselves. Phillip Paulwell, however, should be banned from dancing in public. The brother can't move to save his life. Nor can Attorney-General A.J. Nicholson. Minister Roger Clarke is always game for a few steps but then he's a jovial fellow by nature and just looking at him, whether he's dancing or not, is funny as hell anyway.
One the other side of the House, some of the older Labourites are a little groove-challenged when it comes to movement. Mike Henry acquits himself quite well on the dance floor while the younger blokes (Robertson and Vaz et al) are more in tune with music. But it's not exactly Saturday Night Fever on their side of the House either. But away from the social setting, it's on the campaign platform that we see the moves that would make the true dancer cringe. Most of the prospective candidates for seats in the upcoming election usually just do a little jig, or some 'cool and deadly' to whatever song is blaring through the speakers at the time. Now that's acceptable because they know they're not really dancers. But some of the aforementioned lead-footed prancers I've mentioned seem determined to show off their lack of skills.
Sure, part of it is about getting the crowd into a frenzy, but free Guinness could do that. Some may say it's for the cameras, but realistically, all it does is make some citizens shake their heads in disbelief and give that "this-could-be-my-MP" look. Now I'm not exactly light on my feet either, but at least I know that and stay out of sight. And, of course, now that the campaign will go on a little longer (great, just great), it means more meetings, more rhetoric and aaaaarggh, more dancing!
Left: Remember A.J. Nicholson's justice jig? Right: Opposition Leader Bruce Golding trying a thing with Neadene Tufton, wife of Chris Tufton.- Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
Do the cha-cha at daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com
