3.19.2008

I was all set to write about Project Chanology. That will come later. Now, this.

There was, to say the least, a major event on the campaign trail yesterday.

Followed, naturally, by fuckloads of analysis.

I saw Chris Matthews call it the most important speech on race in the history of the nation.

Probably hyperbole.

On Countdown they had a more sober look at what everyone who was asked referred to as a masterpiece, but not of the immortal level that Mathews was proclaiming it to be. They analyzed the potential political impact with no sure conclusion other than that time would tell, and that he certainly didn't hurt himself.

Dan Abrams, on the premier of his new show, "Verdict," and Tucker Carlson, fresh from his own show's cancellation, split the speech up into soundbytes so that they could neatly decontextualize each clip. Two panelists showing complete support for Obama utterly failed to point out the absurdly slanted way the issue was being framed. Not disowning the man becomes not saying that he's wrong. Saying that there's a context for racial tensions becomes excusing ignorant and hateful remarks. What do you know? A show called "Verdict" assumes that there's never a case where a politician shouldn't be demerited. Abrams is so attatched to his reputation for talking tough and giving no one a break that he's positively desperate to throw the muck on someone.

As for Carlson, all I'm going to say is that it's impossible to predict when he's going to be a relentless, intelligent commentator and when he's just going to be a flaming cock.

In any case, of all the punditry thus far, it was put best by a comedian.

Jon Stewart: Today, at (sic) 11am, a major political figure spoke about race to the American people like they were adults.

I don't think there's much more to say. Here it is.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:19 PM

    I didn't catch it in full so I'm going to try to do that today. Chris Matthews will say anything to stick it to Clinton.
    The most I can say is he was forced to make that speech and apparently he did it in the best way possible.

    I'm happy to hear the flaming cock was canceled, I didn't know that.

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  2. Heh. All I'm gonna say about Barrack Huckstable, er, Obama. Lord, even Republicans backed away from candidates with Whacko Megachurch ties.

    Call me overcritical, but I'm pretty sure this whole mess - like the Spitzer sex scandal - will end up hurting the Dems in November. Coupled with the fact that while Clinton and Obama have been playing "white woman v. black man" gender and race political blackjack, McCain's been doing, oh, presidential candidate type things - like visiting troops in Iraq, meeting with business leaders publicly about the recession, etc.

    There's a reason while McCain's now the frontrunner, as of Mar. 19... and the Dems have nobody to blame, this go-round, but inept party leadership, bad political strategy, and internal strife.

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  3. Cooper: Actually you're quite wrong there. Matthews had the perfect opportunity to stick it to Clinton when she said two hours later when asked about it that she hadn't seen the speech. She who stresses preparation in such matters. She had to know that this speech was the story of the day, and to not be prepared to comment was more than a lapse on her part. Matthews didn't take any shots. In fact, Keith Olberman was the only one to have much of anything in the way of commentary on it.

    As for Tucker, the man confuses me. At times it almost seems like his presence on the air is a good thing. Unlike the vast majority of conservative pundits, he seems to value an opposing view, and because he's such a skilled debater, he forces his guests to defend their positions vigorously. But every now and again he makes me scratch my head.

    Jason: Oh? John McCain hasn't distanced himself from one endorsement from a man who called Katrina divine retribution and another who said that our nation was established in part to combat the spread of Islam.

    And in Iraq he on two seperate occasions confused the Shia extremists receiving training in Iran for Al-Queda, who are in fact a Sunni organization. He's been meeting with business leaders about the recession, but he's said that he doesn't know much about the economy. His gains will not last.

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