Watching footage the past two weeks on Hurricane Sandy has left me feeling extremely sad for those caught in its path. It will take years to rebuild the areas damaged by the winds and water, and nothing can ever replace the lives lost nor heal the emotional wounds.
But as has happened time and again with tragic events, Sandy did one thing right for us: it brought people together. Arriving near the end of a brutal election season that scorched the nation’s psyche with attack ads and choked the life out of what once was political discourse, Sandy reminded us that no matter where we stand on this country, we all live under one roof.
In a way, it makes sense that our nation is most unified immediately after events like Hurricane Sandy, 9/11, and shootings like those at Columbine High School or Aurora, Col. On the other hand, it’s sad that it takes such devastation to do so.
Seeing President Barack Obama and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie stand side by side as they examined some of the areas hardest hit by the storm was a glimpse of a hardhat-and-lunch pail bipartisan mentality many politicians talk of but few practice. Just two months ago at the Republican National Convention, Christie praised Mitt Romney as the way to get this country back on track. Christie did not resort to blaming Obama or calling him names during that speech, but it was made clear he believed Romney to be the antidote to failed policies of the current administration.
Yet here was Christie working with President Obama – the man he probably didn’t vote for on Election Day 2008 and would rather not have in office in January. It reminded me of a quote I read from John Wayne following John F. Kennedy’s election win: “I didn’t vote for him but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”
That day, both men lived up to one of Christie’s lines from his convention speech: “We are demanding that our leaders stop tearing each other down and work together to take action on the big things facing America.”
Hurricane Sandy certainly qualifies as a “big thing” facing our country, but there are other issues to clean up. Issues on healthcare, the economy, and foreign relations are just a few that loom. Though not as immediately impacting as a hurricane, each in time has potential to be its own storm.
The dark cloud was also (temporarily) lifted over our media. It was as if cable newscasters could see again. Journalists did their job of gathering information at the scene and reporting on the news as it happened. They kept people informed of the damage being done from one end of the Eastern Seaboard to the other.
Sure, there was the occasional reporter nearly getting blown off the earth by tropical winds, and yes, that did look a bit silly at times, but there was no media circus. No ridiculous computer graphics analyzing candidates’ facial structures. No body language experts dissecting posture. No over-analysis of every minute detail, like we’ve been seeing along the campaign trail. Rachel Maddow didn’t call the storm an attack on the 99 percent. I think Pat Robertson even made the tasteful decision to hold off claiming that the storm was wrath brought on by gay marriage.
Even sports media stepped up their game. I was impressed to hear a thought-provoking discussion on the pros and cons of holding the New York City Marathon on ESPN radio. The hosts weighed both sides with well-considered points for each and callers added to the discussion in a civilized manner.
My cynical side leads me to believe this break is fleeting. It will be swept away again by the floodwaters of media overload. Pundits will revert back to their perversions of news, but at least the mudslinging attack ads will be over for another two years.
My naïve side thinks that this recent media and political civility is based on something real. It’s not a disguise put over our ugly discourse while our nation goes through a difficult time. I think it’s a layer that’s always been there; it’s under the surface of stubbornness and anger and just has to be scraped off first.
By the time this prints, we will have our president and Congress elected for the next four years. I hope my naïve side is right.
