|
Support AlterNet
Do you value the information you're getting from AlterNet? Please show your support with a tax-deductible donation.
Feedback
Tell us how we're doing.
Tim Russert Loses Democratic Debate
Share and save this post:
Got a tip for a post?:
Email us | Anonymous form
Also in Video
The Whack Jobs Holding Out for a Palin/McCain Ticket
Steven Reynolds The All Spin Zone
What Will it Say to Young People Like This if the Republicans Steal the Election Again?
Jill Hussein C. Brilliant at Breakfast
Take Your Southern Strategy And Shove It
Booman Booman Tribune
In modern political discourse, per our punditry, a cult is defined as any sizable group of enthused supporters of a political candidate in a purported Democracy. But if we are going to be loose with definitions, then let us address the 'Cult of Russert'.
I admit, I didn't watch the debate, I had other priorities ("Work your magic Mangroomer") but many brave masochists did. And from their comments it appears that with the exception of one group -- television talking heads -- the clear loser was the man who enables Dick Cheney to control the message, Tim Russert. Held up by his feted peers as the "Ultimate in Bobbleheads".
After all, Louis Farrakhan is black -- Barack Obama is black -- therefore anything Farrakhan says must be automatically what Obama thinks because apparently to Tim Russert all black men have an intellectual osmosis that links them together*. Like in "The Matrix" which had Cornel West in it so it must have some form of factual basis (only in Tim Russert World would African-American intellectuals be saved by Keanu Reeves). And, of course, feckless and worthless talking point driven questions were also directed toward Hillary Clinton.
But it is in more than this that Timmah & Friends fail us. Digby sums it up perfectly -- having actually watched the debate:
The problem is Tim Russert and all his petty, shallow acolytes who spend all their time reading Drudge and breathlessly reporting every tabloid tidbit and sexy rumor and seeking out minor inconsistencies from years past in lieu of doing any real work.
Judging by their silly questions tonight, Russert and Williams obviously know nothing about health care policy, Iraq, Islamic terrorism, economics, global trade or any other subject that requires more than five minutes study to come up with some gotcha question or a stupid Jack Bauer fantasy. It's embarrassing.
These people guide the way citizens perceive politics even if the citizens don't know it. It's hard for me to see how anything can truly change until this is dealt with.
A-yup.
*May mean that Clarence Thomas is a killer, unquestioning, cyborg from the future...or not.
Tagged as: media, race, clinton, obama, farrakhan, democratic debate, russert, williams
Attaturk is a regular blogger for FireDogLake
| Also in Video | |||
| The Whack Jobs Holding Out for a Palin/McCain Ticket Polls still report 10% think the economy is fine....and they evidently are voting for John McCain. It may be his numbers have further to go. Post by Steven Reynolds. October 13, 2008. |
What Will it Say to Young People Like This if the Republicans Steal the Election Again? The consequences of alienating young voters. Post by Jill Hussein C.. October 13, 2008. |
Take Your Southern Strategy And Shove It McCain and Palin's scurrilous and inciteful attacks may still play in modern-day Alabama, but they don't play outside the south. Post by Booman. October 12, 2008. |
|
EMAIL
PRINT
74 COMMENTS
PERMALINK