: Ready to rumble…September 17, 2004
Sociology without the credentials…
Take a look at the Quote of the Day on Political Wire (I’ve omitted the first sentence because the subject doesn’t matter):
“I think he’s too fit. He’s got one of those stomachs where the shirt goes straight down into his pants — and Americans like their politicians with a bit more flab on them.”
Sez who?
That’s a question I wish journalists would get into the habit of asking. It could even be stated this way: Prove it! Or, better yet: How can your unlearned opinion possibly help the average citizen make an informed political decision? Asking that question, however, would point out–a bit uncomfortably–that journalists ought to be looking elsewhere for political information in the first place.
Posted by acline | September 17, 2004 | Posted in: Main | Comments (7)
Your post reminds me of a headline I saw yesterday on an AP story: “Bush, Kerry trade attacks on spin and waffling”. This pretty much sums up the level of political reporting we’ve seen this year. Pathetic.
Let me add an aside here —- I think the New Yorkish journos are obsessed with the male anatomy. Here, Graydon Carter is obsessed with Kerry’s washboard stomach. A couple of weeks ago, Frank Rich thought that GWB padded his shorts when he wore the flight suit for the “Mission Accomplished” flight onto the aircraft carrier. As a Midwest Soccer Mom, I say, Bring It On!
Nothing to See Here – Bring In Da Snark, Bring In Da Rant edition
Wouldn’t you think that after September 11, the CIAwould beef up its anti-al Qaeda department?
…I’m sure Kerry couldn’t flat out call the president chicken, but maybe there’s a politically acceptable way to point out that, fo…
This is just an example of the kind of cynicism that passes for “coolness” among the literati. It is very de rigeur to consider the average American a boob unable to think seriously and thus reduced to looking at irrelevant cues.
For the most part (and there are certainly exceptions), the media shows no interest in understanding the electorate except in terms of broad generalizations and categories. I agree with Professor Cline’s post–why don’t the media question things like that rather than just allow such silly stereotypes to stand unchallenged?
Consider the source, MWS. Graydon Carter is the editor of Vanity Fair. He is part of the Michael Moore-Al Franken-Howard Stern axis of intellectualism of the left. He has compared Don Rumsfeld to Hermann Goering. Need I say more? He ain’t Edward R. Murrow.
Becky,
Howard Stern? I agree with your point, but I think the problem is more with postmodernism as a movement than with partiuclar writers. And I think the right is affected by it too.