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Doris Kearns Goodwin drinks David Brooks' Milkshake on MTP
On Meet the Press this morning, Tim Russert engaged David Brooks about his critical NYT op/ed piece on "Obama Comedown Syndrome" -- essentially a rephrasing of the same questions Obama has repeatedly faced about how he'll be able to act on his rhetoric and bring about real change in such an ossified institution as Capitol Hill.
Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin offered the following:
"What history argues, and I think this is what [Obama]'s arguing, is that the only time we've had progressive change in this country is when the country is mobilized to push the people in Congress to action. That's what happened in the Progressive movement at the turn of the century, it's what happened during the New Deal, it's what happened in the Sixties, and I think that's what he's arguing-- that 'I can't just get it done by myself, I need to have that movement out there that will push us in Washington -- me and them included,' and that's what I think is the strength of the message [Obama] espouses."
Thank you, Doris Kearns Goodwin, for what I think is just about the most concise and rational response I've heard to the blanket "pixie dust" criticism that has dogged the Obama campaign since it began.
Okay, maybe it wasn't a full-on milkshake drinkage... But it sure seemed to shut Brooks up, didn't it?
Comments (7)
Yes. Hopefully no one will bring up that since Kearns *is* a known plagiarist (sadly), somehow this is blowback onto Obama. ;-)
February 24, 2008 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Typo, sorry: I meant "Kearns Goodwin" of course.
February 24, 2008 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Doris Kearns Goodwin is a great analyst of the past and the present regardless of any issues about her book on the Kennedys.
February 24, 2008 3:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Doris Kearns-Goodwin redeemed herself after the plagiarism rap by writing an excellent Lincoln book called "Team of Rivals" that no one is saying contains plagiarized passages. That's why she's back on TV after being off for quite a while.
February 25, 2008 9:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
If she worked at a university, that first proven plagiarist charge would have terminated her -- even if she had tenure. It's one of the few ways you can guarantee termination (the other being sexual harassment).
She would never have been hired at another top tier university again.
She is lucky she wasn't at a university and is a media darling.
February 25, 2008 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
The world is not a university. Lots of things should come with sanctions that are less significant than lifelong societal exile. Lots of things should disqualify one from being employed at a so-called top-tier university. Reality is often different than perception, for better and for worse...
Four words: Douglas Feith. Georgetown University.
February 25, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Regardless, she is correct in her suscint analysis.
February 25, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
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