Letters to the Editor
Baldie McEagle
Published Letters: 992 Editor's Choice: 3
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one more time
[Read the article: Is it "contradictory" to decry the right's tactics while insisting on their equal application?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Apr 17th, 2008 | WASHINGTON -- Republicans are no longer underdogs in the race for the White House. To pull that off, John McCain has attracted disgruntled GOP voters, independents and even some moderate Democrats who shunned his party last fall.
Partly thanks to an increasingly likable image, the Republican presidential candidate has pulled even with the two Democrats still brawling for their party's nomination, according to an Associated Press-Yahoo news poll released Thursday. Just five months ago — before either party had winnowed its field — the survey showed people preferred sending an unnamed Democrat over a Republican to the White House by 13 percentage points.
In case anyone forgot. Boldface type indicates disbelief.
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Speak truth to the blog power, E-man
[Read the article: Is it "contradictory" to decry the right's tactics while insisting on their equal application?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I've decided I like your style. Plain truths, simply spoken, as though you just thought them up yourself. I like it.
You know, not many people know this, but the German Jews really were undermining German strength and corrupting their youth. It's just how it was.
And yeah, I happen to think women are mentally weak and best left to child-rearing. It's just my opinion. Blacks and Mexicans: lazy. It's all true.
I know I'll get all sorts of ad hominem attacks from the liberal idiots here for saying this, but it's the price of being right.
Right, Heffalump?
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If poor old peewee were here
[Read the article: The harmony between the Right and the media]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]he'd be earnestly and helpfully telling us that if Democraps want to keep Republican talking points out of Democrapic debates, it's incumbent upon Democraps do so.
And he'd be right. Except he'd be missing the point, which is that ABC injected them. Last I checked, ABC is not an organ of the Left.
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@ Jim
[Read the article: The harmony between the Right and the media]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Nothing you said contradicts anything Glenn said. Can you clarify?
There may be many reasons to be eager to please the Right. One is if you work for them.
Also, I have to point out that you seem to be suffering from black-and-white thinking. There are many pay grades between national media star and waiter. So your point, while well taken, essentially collapses on itself.
Have you had intimate contact with a Republican in the last 48 hours?
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You mean?
[Read the article: How not to prepare for peak oil]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]peak oil raises problems other than high prices, falling produciton, and potentially falling revenue?
Hmmm ... no, I don't see it.
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You're half right at best, Asher Steinberg
[Read the article: The harmony between the Right and the media]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Just because there is a sliver of difference between the Dem candidates doesn't mean trivialities are suddenly useful. Why don't the media just dig deeper into that sliver, looking for substance? They don't even try. Why can't we expect debate questions that draw the candidates out? That's what they're FOR.
Besides, this has been political ritual for decades. Don't pretend these 2 candidates are a special case.
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Incidentally
[Read the article: The harmony between the Right and the media]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Walter Shapiro (here at Salon) says
In a Democratic race devoid of sharp issue distinctions (a decision made by Clinton and Obama, rather than merely imposed on the voters by the media), such imagery matters in Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary.
Discuss.
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Brooks is right, dammit
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Has Obama addressed or explained his low bowling score? Not as far as I've seen.
Americans want a candidate who can look them straight in the eye and say, "I am a shitty bowler."
Is that too much to ask? Why won't he come clean?
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cestmoi
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Boy, I'm glad you're not a scientist or an engineer. People would probably die.
Saoln doesn't have an international cable TV presence. You can't reasonably compare it to CNN.
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@ SB4609
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You make a fair point about the opacity of true policy debates, to the extent they exist. Techocratic government isn't accessible to the voters. At best, it goes on in specialist magazines and journals they don't read.
But by your reasoning, because the voters want to know they can trust their candidate, it's a good idea to have accessible discussions of policy, to the extent that's possible.
So where does bowling fit into that theory? Is there no option between wonkism and idiocy?
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I'm not sure,
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In the political conversations I've had recently, the level of discourse has revolved around social cues, like radical pastors and bowling scores.
that that was actually a "political conversation."
Doesn't sound like you talked politics ("policy") at all.
Have you considered a career as a journalist?
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Entertainment as politics/politics as entertainment
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There's no question that many Americans are drawn to fluff even when they regret consuming it afterward. It's human nature.
But you have to consider, first, that those who watched hated it---AFTER they watched it. So there is a partial explanation: we're starving for information that will give us hope and let us go back to our lives. Hey, I'll bet that you could show the Food Network to starving Sudanese (or starving anyone) and they would watch it. What does that prove?
Further, consider the factors of promotion, placement, and so on that trick anyone into consuming anything not good for them. This is not different.
I think for the next campaign we should put all the candidates in a big house full of cameras with media stars and watch them get voted out one by one. Every week, we could watch ridiculous staged events including bowling, "debating," dancing, sports, and so on. Do you think we wouldn't watch? _I_ would even watch. What choice would I have?
And would this be substantially different from the current process?
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Speaking of irrelevance
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Scooter's here!
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SB4609
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Still no evidence.
On point 2, you present evidence AGAINST your argument.
Finally, supposing bowling performance does affect voters. So what?
Should CNN skip serious discussion to show the candidates driving?
Walking? (FDR would have failed.)
Doing calisthenics?
Some other "sport"? Hey, at least no candidate has been dumb enough to ride a Segway in public.
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Amen, Silash
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Thank god I live in Philly.
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Scooter's idea of a "metric"
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]concern for the nation rather than self.
I just don't know about that boy. I don't think he's going to move on with the other sixth-graders next fall.
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cestmoi
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Non sequitur.
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@Bill H
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As far as I'm concerned, the media can giggle all they want about someone's _____ score.
Just not at the expense of discussing their haircuts, knaamean?
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I forgot one!
[Read the article: David Brooks' fictitious defense of his industry's behavior]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]And of course in my proposed reality TV show, the candidates and news media stars would have to put on a makeover/fashion show!
More ideas welcome. Cestmoi? Bill H? SBwhatever?