Editor Posts

The Politics of Mediocrity

Tim Einenkel — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:29:06 -0400

The most frustrating thing about Sarah Palin is not her political views, nor is it the winking and “folksy” word play she so often falls back on (“say it ain’t so Joe,” etc.). The really frustrating thing is the effect she had on the dumbing down of American politics and journalism. The bar has been substantially lowered (think the high jump before the Fosbury Flop). Moreover, the way she is covered in the media represents a species of journalistic apathy and disinterest that has reached unprecedented levels.

George W. Bush tapped this particular keg when someone floated the meme that he was the type of guy you’d want to have a beer with. Palin brought this to a new level. The response to Palin’s first and only debate with Senator Joe Biden was generally positive. She “did what she was supposed to do” and stayed on her “talking points.” She was referred to as “folksy” and a “soccer mom.”

These general descriptions do not provide any real insight into Sarah Palin, nor do they tell us if she understands any of the issues in question. She is able to remember a few key words, phrases, etc. and then spit them out when called upon to do so. But who can’t do that? And why is no one suggesting that rote memorization does not a VP make?

Her ability not to stumble over words, her tendency to explain an answer by repeating the question, and her ability to make people smile does not mean that she should be considered a valid candidate. Her ability to make us feel that she is “like” us, even though she is able to purchase a $5,000 suit jacket (US Weekly) does not make her a valid candidate.

Morning Roundup: Around the Web with a Race-Baiting Old Codger

Beau Friedlander — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 05:54:05 -0400

Washington Times announces: The Blacks are coming!!! (Welcome to the overtly racist portion of the 2008 election cycle.)

Politico reports the race card is the only thing that could derail Obama now.

Meanwhile the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC poll has Obama even more "aheadier."

The Detroit Free Press reports that economy trumps race along the 8 Mile.

Bloomberg reports: Yen up, Iceland down.

I love this post by tremayne at Open Left: Republican elites can't stand that America is not as racist as they are.

The Christian Science Monitor on McCodger going negative in the homestretch.

MyDD's Natasha Chart maps out Palin and the media and, yes, an African American got called "boy."

Spencer Ackerman (aka Attackerman) over at Firedoglake posted a new ad from the McCain camp that makes Obama sound like an angry high school teacher.

Morning Roundup: Around the Web Faster than Your Most Pressing Needs

Beau Friedlander — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:07:18 -0400

Vice guy versus nice guy: Firedoglake's Attaturk does a 20 years ago thing comparing McCain's participation with the Keating 5 to Obama paying a luggage surcharge for a Norwegian newlywed who was about to miss her flight.

FTSE, DAX and CAC got knocked big time today. (Bloomberg.)

Todd Beeton at MyDD thinks he may have found McCain's October Surprise, Achilles' Heel, soft spot: His record as a pilot. Just call him McCrashy.

The Wall Street Journal describes today's emergency measures designed to prevent total financial collapse in Europe.

A first-time recommended diary for Woochifer at Daily Kos was the place I found out that Troopergate may still get prosecuted.

The Guardian reports on a promising breast cancer vaccine.

Bank of America agrees to potentially $8.7 billion in loan-modifications on predatory instruments--you win! (Los Angeles Times)

The Christian Science Monitor reports on the how September's 159,000 lost jobs is going to have a domino effect, starting with a credit crunch.

Joe Six-Pack, Wink Wink, Curtains

Tim Einenkel — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:22:03 -0400

“Governor Sarah Palin did well during the vice presidential debate,” has been the consensus among journalists, politicians and political analysts. The main reason for all this praise? Palin did not do a repeat performance of her interview with Katie Couric.

Palin was able to survive one hour and thirty minutes of repeating talking points and reciting a script. She treated the debate like just another campaign stop--she didn't bother to answer questions and was generally Stepford Wife-ish. You may remember her saying, “I may not answer the questions that either the moderator or you want to hear.” Well, she didn't.

Below is transcript of the Governor’s answers (repeated answers have strikethroughs).

ANSWER NUMBER 1

PALIN: Thank you, Gwen. And I thank the commission, also. I appreciate this privilege of being able to be here and speak with Americans.

You know, I think a good barometer here, as we try to figure out has this been a good time or a bad time in America's economy, is go to a kid's soccer game on Saturday, and turn to any parent there on the sideline and ask them, "How are you feeling about the economy?"

And I'll bet you, you're going to hear some fear in that parent's voice, fear regarding the few investments that some of us have in the stock market. Did we just take a major hit with those investments?

Fear about, how are we going to afford to send our kids to college? A fear, as small-business owners, perhaps, how we're going to borrow any money to increase inventory or hire more people.

The barometer there, I think, is going to be resounding that our economy is hurting and the federal government has not provided the sound oversight that we need and that we deserve, and we need reform to that end.

Morning Roundup: Around the Web with the Duracell Bunny

Beau Friedlander — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:51:04 -0400

Firedoglake's Christy Hardin Smith is right that Biden was immensely likeable (for a Beltway elite) last night when he talked about being a single dad.

Peggy Noonan says what I say about last night in today's Wall Street Journal: Palin won (because she did not lose).

David Sirota smells a rat. Why aren't we allowed to buy financial instruments based on all this debt the gov't is buying? (Open Left).

The Guardian says McCain camp uses al Qaeda to phone Obama supporters. (I joke--sorta.)

That said, Biden lost the debate because, as Adam Nagourney points out, Sarah Palin wasn't horrid. (In fact she was quite good in the way McCain needed her to be). (via NYT)

Apparently, there is no more glacial ice, so you can stop paying your bills.

How do you raise teens in AIDS-ravaged Africa? You yell at them a lot. The Christian Science Monitor reports.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the Fed will merge California with Oregon and Nevada. Ahnold requests $7 billion bailout.

VP Debate: The Moose is Obtuse

Beau Friedlander — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:44:13 -0400

"I'll get right back to ya!" Ugh. It really places a nausea in my belly. I will now have to be hella cruel to a person who is so other-minded that nastiness from the likes of me is verbal silence. Here we go. Let's start by engaging in some name calling (as if we were at Biden's dream boxing match): Fine. So, Palin is the Cutie Pie from Who-Knows-Why and that's no good because that makes Biden Apollo Creed.

Now sure, go ahead and get mad about that. Call me sexist. (Note bene: Rocky was a punchy guy, not a quirky wolf-shooting gal.) But while you're calling me names, bear in mind Palin's been leaning on gender stereotyping to get folks smiling and cheering and generally not thinking long enough so that they'll do the wrong thing.

I read about a study that I may be mis-remembering (what I remember is the point, even if I've invented the whole thing) where researchers brought together "prim" types, you know, church ladies and the like peppered here and there with regular women. They showed these "subjects" a photograph of a cute little dog. In the foreground was the profile of a young woman's exposed breast. Very few outside the control group reported that there was a breast in the picture. They didn't see it! Now listen up. Red state America doesn't see what we do either. They think Sarah Palin's a spunky gal with a bandolier full of can-do and a sweet Browning over-and-under (you just made my point (in reverse) if you had to click the link). Hit refresh often as this be updated every few minutes. Enjoy the debate! This is the GOP's finest hour: They will show how marketing prowess can beat principle and substance. Ding!