6/30: Hail to the Chiefs

[Bob O]

I thought it was a very well writen article.

But it is sad that wdw is getting way too political in this attraction. IMHO the current president shouldnt speak so as to not make things political. While not a fan of McCain his story of being a POW and defending his country is far more compelling americana story.

But it isnt suprising that a company that hands over several hours of a infomerical(socialized health care) to the obama team without allowing a single dissenting voice would also do this to a honored attraction.

I guess we should now hope they dont do the same to the attraction in the American Pavilion at Epcot.

[Kiba]

Quick question, what do you get when you have a room full of politicians?

[indyIluvu]

Originally Posted by HMF

I find it ironic that the show endorses intellectuilism when the Show Writers previous assignment was Spaceship Earth's red.(Remember how easy it was to learn your ABC's? Thank the Phonecians.)

When was Spaceship earth painted red???

[Disneyland Limited]

Originally Posted by Bob O

I thought it was a very well writen article.

But it is sad that wdw is getting way too political in this attraction. IMHO the current president shouldnt speak so as to not make things political. While not a fan of McCain his story of being a POW and defending his country is far more compelling americana story.

But it isnt suprising that a company that hands over several hours of a infomerical(socialized health care) to the obama team without allowing a single dissenting voice would also do this to a honored attraction.

I guess we should now hope they dont do the same to the attraction in the American Pavilion at Epcot.

Reading Kevin Yee's column and the responses so far, I'm going to disagree that Disney has made the Hall too "political." It seems they've decided to change the presentation to reflect a dramatic change in history, not politics. The people commenting on the ride, including Kevin, are the people bringing politics into it.

Realize the history that's being reflected in the new show. The last figure represents a man who, if he had lived at the time the majority of the men on stage were alive, not only wouldn't have been able to stand among them as a peer but, more than likely, would have been owned by them.

The show doesn't reflect, or even suggest, that Obama's election was "inevitable"; what it does show is a tremendous leap in progress. The same would have been said if Hillary Clinton had been elected. I agree that John McCain's story of being a POW would have been a great American story and, had he been elected, I would assume that would have been included as part of his speech. But electing another white man wouldn't have been anywhere near as historic as electing the first woman President or the first black President. (And yes, I expect the argument that he's not really "black" since his mother was white. Again, stop missing the point.)

Those who would attach their own politics to this attraction do themselves the disservice of missing the history that is being shown.

[Kuzcochik]

The article was indeed well written and seeing as I have not witnessed the new show in action, my opinions maybe incorrect, but I do have to disagree.
I think it isn't fair to claim that this show is bias b/c we will never know what a McCain version would have been like. They could have just as easily taken the theme of being a Maverick and applied that to the presidents that came before. This would inevitably have led us to McCain the new president and the latest in a series of Mavericks. I don't think it's taking sides on the political spectrum when you're simply heralding the Commander in Cheif. I think regardless of who became president, HoP is suppose to celebrate the life, ideals and philosophies of these men.
I understand hyper-analysis of shows (I am a comm major... that's all I've done for about 2 yrs now) but Aristotelian proofs can be applied to anything and stretching to call something logos doesn't make it so. I still think pathos is more prevalent as the entire show seems to be one big emotional appeal.

Like I said, without seeing the show, I still can't give you a 100% accurate analysis. Guess I'll have to catch it on youtube

[whoRU]

Originally Posted by vfire

HoP doesn't belong at the Magic Kingdom in the first place; it's always been political due to its subject matter which leads to present day politics. Disney should make a separate "America" theme park and rip out Liberty Square into it. Keep the Magic Kingdom about fantasy and ye olde yesteryear before we were all born. Don't have attractions that take me out of that fantasy and into the real world; I go to the park to escape all that crap for a few hours. HoP is just another reason why DL is better than MK.

Walt wanted this in DL. He was thinking of having a side street off Main called Liberty St. I feel this is one of the better attraction in the Magic Kingdom, reguardless of one's views. So you don't want a TomorrowLand? Just fantasy and ye olde yesteryear?

[yoyoflamingo]

Originally Posted by indyIluvu

When was Spaceship earth painted red???

I think he meant redo.

As for the show, I am still looking forward to it and am willing to judge it for myself in a few weeks when I see it, but from what I have read, the focus has shifted less on American history, but more on the leaders in times of adversity. Perhaps this shift is what has caused this new perception of the show as being more political?

I do think though, that if anything stops the booing and cheering during the roll call, then that is a good thing.

[FredSimmons]

Let's see now... Humility, equality, hope, continuity, progress...

Surely, those aren't values that Americans would want to celebrate in their Presidents... Shame on Disney for pushing such clearly socialist concepts. Damn Democrats.

(sarcasm mode off.)

[sjdimon]

WDW is an American Institution - like the American Presidency. Liberty Square belongs in the MK just as much as Frontierland pays homage to our somewhat "wilder" past; and Tomorrowland is looking towards our future. I, for one, am thrilled that they have kept up-to-date with this attraction, and that they continue to enhance it with each new administration. I never liked it when the Role Call was being read and some folks decided that they needed to express their personal displeasure with one or another of the Presidents. I cannot wait for the opportunity the next time I am in WDW's MK to see the new HOP in person. Being a left-coaster, I don't get there nearly as often as I would like to, but I have managed to see the past few iterations of this show that featured President's Clinton and George W. Bush. Great article Kevin (as always) - since so much has changed about the presentation this time through, it was nice to have the level of detail that Kevin provided.

[Rixter]

Kudos to the the Imagineers for being brave enough to recognize the historic nature of the Obama election. Even John McCain recognized that the 2008 election represented a watershed event in American history:

...My friends, we have -- we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama -- (boos) -- to congratulate him -- (boos) -- please -- to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too. But we both recognize that though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to visit -- to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters. America today is a world away from the cruel and prideful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African American to the presidency of the United States. Let there be no reason now -- (cheers, applause) -- let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth. (Cheers, applause.)

Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer in my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day, though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans -- (applause) -- I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences, and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited...

John McCain

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

I would like to see it for myself.

[Cumulus Isobar]

Once again I am disappointed with Kevin Yee's writing, finding what he states to be obvious agendas in the new HoP and yet through everything he wrote, I still didn't get where he saw this message of "everything was leading up to Obama being our president". Kevin Yee has a habit of consistently laying it out that he knows what's going on in those Imagineers, managers, and visitors heads, which to my knowledge, he knows very little. I think he should really stop writing bad, rambling, negative articles, about what could, should, and would happen, instead of just what is.

Now allow me to write a bad, rambling, negative message board response, about what could, should, and would happen, instead of just what is.

This is a smart, well laid out attraction that needed updating. Over-reading into it as much as you want only reminds me what a terrible writer he is. Writing articles about theme park attractions like you're cracking the lid off the watergate scandal is a bit much.

"The bottom line is that the show now offers park visitors an actual, honest to goodness thesis: everything in American presidential history, it claims by virtue of a new storyline, has been inexorably leading up to this moment, and the election of Barack Obama is the culmination of a long "development" in us as a culture and a society."

I fail to see how the election of whoever the next President was going to be would not have "been the culmination of a long development in us as a culture and a society." That is what the president is. I think it's a good show, that feels fresh, and I also think it will be quite easy to plop in the next president in 4 or 8 years without this "thesis" being ruined at all. It's a show about the people we have chosen to represent us as a nation, not just a show about "change" starring President Barack Obama.

Would this have sounded any less sincere or untrue..

"everything in American presidential history, it claims by virtue of a new storyline, has been inexorably leading up to this moment, and the election of John McCain is the culmination of a long "development" in us as a culture and a society."

I don't think so one bit. Especially if you voted repo! People are gonna be grumpy no matter who the president is, as long as it's the one they didn't vote for.

I get that people used to boo and whatnot, and no doubt people still will, because there are jerks everywhere who don't respect the fact there are other people around them who don't care to hear their opinions screamed out at inanimate objects. I don't like when people talk along with the ghost host in the stretch room of the Haunted Mansion either, but what are you gonna do. People are gonna be people no matter what. You can cater to the best in people by treating them with respect and ignore the idiots, or you can treat them all like dummies. I think all too frequently, that is how Kevin Yee treats the reader, like dummies who don't know anywhere near as much as he does with his amazing powers of perception from working Disney food services for years. I think if he spent a few days over on Flower Street his mind would be blown away by the care and thought that goes into things, so as not to come off as partisan. I wish just once, in an article, I would get the sense that he thought we were are all as smart as he was, or maybe even more informed about some things. Obviously Kevin's opinion is his opinion, and that's fine, we all have one. It is when he spoons it out to us as actual fact that I find my underoos getting in a knot. Does he realise he does this? I'm not actually sure.

I'm sorry for being so negative on a site I really do love, but sometimes old Kev-bo gets the better of me with his pre-determined negativity, and whiny uninsightful mountain-out-of-mole-hilled ramblings.

All the best, DISNEY ROCKS!
Cumulus

[sediment]

Just remember, folks, President Obama is not a descendant of American slaves, but actually a descendant of slave-OWNERS. I think he'd fit in just fine with a few of those Presidents in the Hall in that respect.
And, he's half-white, so he's still "one of us." He went to elite schools like Oxy, Columbia and Harvard, though, so he's not really "one of us."
He's a little bit of everything.

Now, the election was somewhat historic. Our country had not elected someone this dark ever.
I'm not sure I like the way he's borrowing future monies to pay off rich people who lost some of their money. The future might be forever, but not THAT forever. Stop the hose, B.O.! Or else Sanford's third party of "Free Love, Not Free Money" will take over!

[jp-disney]

Originally Posted by Pete's Dragon

Reading the reviews of the show the interpretation I got was that the country's history guided us to this historic moment-when an African-American would take the oath of office. I don't think this in any way was an affirmation of Obama's politics over McCain's politics, on the contrary I think all would agree that Disney would have done the exact same show had Colin Powell been our first African-American President.

I think any time something historic can be applied to the new President in the HOP, go for it. I tend to be conservative in my politics, but Mr. Obama is my President, and I respect His office. This indeed, was an election that shows much social growth in our Nation.

Just one technical question though. I saw the picture of President Obama. Where are the teleprompters?

[sediment]

Originally Posted by jp-disney

I think any time something historic can be applied to the new President in the HOP, go for it. I tend to be conservative in my politics, but Mr. Obama is my President, and I respect His office. This indeed, was an election that shows much social growth in our Nation.

Just one technical question though. I saw the picture of President Obama. Where are the teleprompters?

Good one!
I'm waiting for the AA update where he swats a fly dead.