Letters to the Editor
James65
Published Letters: 118 Editor's Choice: 3
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McCain is a hero
[Read the article: "Journey to Freedom"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I have met and interviewed McCain and though I would never vote for him because I am deeply opposed to many of his positions on issues, he is truly deserving of the hero moniker.
It is interesting to note that Democrats would never even consider pulling a Swift Boat attack on him and that unlike Kerry four years ago, McCain has nothing to worry about on that score. It goes to show how pathetic and deeply evil so many in the GOP are. Bush being number one goon.
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Actually...
[Read the article: "Journey to Freedom"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]After reading all of the posts on this issue I have to amend my statement. Obviously there are those on the left who are equally as ignorant and cruel as any on the right. Comments attacking McCain for not escaping or for being a prisoner should have no place in the Democratic Party or among a group of people professing a desire for social justice. I'm ashamed of you.
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Well Done Obama
[Read the article: Barack Obama delivers make-or-break speech on race]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]His rhetorical skills are certainly a great asset to him. Beyond that though is his ability for reason.
The problem is that I fear the American electorate--as has even been displayed in messages posted here--lacks reason and the patience to truly hear eloquence.
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Quoting Ana Marie Cox...
[Read the article: The media's special relationship with John McCain]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Is a bit like picking low (very low) hanging fruit. She has consistently proven to be the worst political journalist (and I gag when I use the term journalist) working today. The fact that she has a glammer job at Time when she so obviously is an idiot makes my head spin. She isn't even a very good writer.
Though, Glenn is definitely right that McCain is going to get a lot of this kind of preferential treatment where his statements aren't really reported because the media sees them as more of a slip of the tongue rather than a real story. The reason is because he has been so open to the journalists that they have very good relationships with him (too good to maintain their professional perspective in my opinion) so they feel comfortable that they get him.
Obama and Clinton on the other hand could learn a thing or two from McCain and make their respective campaigns far more open to the media. Better to bring them in than try and control and them and constantly try and spin the message.
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Rove, Cheney, Bush, et al...
[Read the article: Former Alabama governor released from prison]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Need to be shown the price for their brand of criminality. Why our Democrats in the Senate and House have not yet held these miserably evil people accountable is beyond me.
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Gossip
[Read the article: Clinton denies she said Obama can't win]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I could care less about the gossip of the campaign. Get off it and do some real reporting and writing.
Actually, while you are hunting down he said she said baloney President Bush and his gang of imbeciles are continuing to screw the world up.
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Who cares!!!!!
[Read the article: "Richardson has never questioned Senator Obama's electability"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There's real issues to report on you know.
Also the Penn frackas -- WHO CARES. He was just at a MEETING.
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Wedge Issue
[Read the article: The mommy wars rage on]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This is nothing more than a media inspired wedge issue used to show that there is huge disagreement among women and feminists (they should be one and the same).
If Rebecca wants to write something interesting or Salon wants to put on interesting video they should be talking about the overt and disgusting sexism that Hillary Clinton and many other high achieving women face as they move up the ladder.
They could also talk about subjects such as paternity leave, materinity leave, better child care, better working arrangements that are family firendly and on and on. However, talking about (gasp) policy seems more boring than the mommy wars.
The bottom line: Write and talk about something that matters; things and ideas and policies that could improve people's lives and actually make america a family and human friendly place to live rather than the militaristic, corporate haven it is.
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Please...
[Read the article: Clinton, Obama, and the forum on faith]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]May we stop putting the word "gate" at the end of every minor political dustup. Let's all promise not to do it ever again.
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Steve Benen...
[Read the article: How Bush's HUD responded to the mortgage crisis]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Should remain as the War Room writer. Finally we are learning about and talking about real issues that affect real people. And this is exactly the kind of coverage this country needs MUCH MORE OF. However, the media seem far more intrigued with reporting on side show baloney. The incompetence is staggering!
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What we learned...
[Read the article: The "distractions" debate]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This and the past debates have been fairly rediculpous, but perhaps we have learned a couple of things for the future.
1) Reporters rarely if ever have any practical experience, training or education in the topics that they cover. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part this is true. For example, does Gibson or stephanopolos(sp?) have any expertise in economics or foreign affairs and policy? No.
2) Reporters have a bias towards glitzy sideshow crap because they operate within a culture that congratulates getting a scoop on meaningless stories such as the reverand and etc. Also, they work for huge companies that pay them huge salaries in order to get this tripe so it can be marketably fed to the consumers. They have a fiduciary interest in the horse race and maintaining a low level of discourse on real issues.
3) Since reporters have no expertise and fiduciary responsibility to earn their salaries by providing marketable infotainment, we should not have them be the panelists for debates because they will always resort to their basest instincts. Instead experts and people with a real interest in the outcomes of policy debates should be asking these questions. This means professors and people who understand what it means to cut Medicaid income eligibility by a thousand dollars per year and who understand the effect a bomb has on a community when it lands on a house and kills a number of people living in that house, and who understand what the constitution means with regard to seperation of powers and the responsibilities of the congress and executive and judiciary branches.