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I'm Discouraged
As I watch the media-manufactured furor about Obama's minor gaffe in San Francisco, I am completely discouraged and disgusted with the way so many of my fellow citizens will swallow the most contrived nonsense without seeing the absurdity of it all.
Really, where else but in the good ol' USA would anyone not be laughed out of town for asserting that the first credible minority candidate for president, from a single parent, low-income background, is an "elitist"? The utter silliness of this is even more apparent when the person promoting the idea has income in the hundred million range.
Yet, it appears that this idiocy has legs far beyond anything I could have imagined. This is one of those times that I am not at all proud of my native country. (Guess no one in my family can ever hold an elective audience now that I have said that.)
Comments (7)
Right, and according to William Kristol, a Marxist elitist -- just like Obama is a "Muslim with a pastor problem" or the electorate is not ready to "coronate him."
The only comfort I can take from this is that he has really gotten inside of their heads; they don't have the language to make sense of him. He's an American original. Like Walt Whitman, he is large, he contains multitudes.
April 15, 2008 8:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Cheer up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txrikNFX-8E
They're attacking him for being an intellectual.
April 15, 2008 8:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Step back and look at who's flogging this one. It's not people on the ground -- it's the rival campaigns and the MSM. In fact, polls are already appearing that show voters don't think Obama's statement was a big deal. The other candidates can't find anything real to bring him down, and the media need a fight. It would actually be reporting if they went out and really examined economic conditions among working class voters!
I believe this too will pass. And before it's over, I think Barack Obama will be able to frame the discussion on the real issues America faces. Because as you point out, the absurdity of Clinton and McCain calling Obama elitist is phenomenal. Colbert and Stewart will not be able to pass it up.
April 15, 2008 8:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Stewart was hilarious last night on this point.
April 15, 2008 9:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
Darlin - calm down.
There is an entire week yet before people in Pa vote. Chances are, Hillary will come up with something else between now and then.
It's not really hurting Obama. I'm frustrated too, but don't panic yet.
Wait til after Pa, at least.
April 15, 2008 9:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
"As I watch the media-manufactured furor about Obama's minor gaffe in San Francisco, I am completely discouraged and disgusted with the way so many of my fellow citizens will swallow the most contrived nonsense without seeing the absurdity of it all. "
Don't be. Your fellow citizens are smarter than the GOP-loving trolls in the Media.
The MSM are bottomfeeders. They dish out garbage. They game the system. But the voters are not buying it this time.
Have hope and fight on!
April 15, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've been talking for literally years with people about the strong anti-intellectual bias that runs through this culture and is exploited by the Republicans.
It kills us. The fact that they smear someone for being smart is one of the most ridiculous things about American politics and I wish to hell we'd get over it. Why does anyone think a dumb president is better? Haven't we just been there, aren't we still there?
This is one of the oldest complaints in this country and I thought we had gotten sophisticated enough by now to understand how very stupid it is to condemn people for being intellectuals.
April 15, 2008 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
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