Wednesday, January 30, 2008
THE SYSTEM REALLY WORKS!
When you want it to... The Connecticut primary is next Tuesday, and instead of being a speck in the sandbox, it appears our little state will be heard from.
Clinton’s been here, Obama’s coming, and so is McCain.
That’s nice, considering they could be spending all their time in Arizona, California, New York, or Missouri.
And they could be spending all of their money elsewhere, too, but they’re buying time on Connecticut television. (And thank you so much!)
But what’s really nice about it is that, so far, the voters have made the system work.
They’ve ignored polls and they’ve ignored pundits. They’ve paid attention to the candidates and their issues, and they’ve voted with their (hearts and) minds.
Best example: McCain. The media (new and old) declared McCain’s candidacy DOA last summer. Now he’s knocking on the door. Why? Voters listened to HIM, not Olberman or O’Reilly…not Russert or Stephanopoulos…not anyone armed with a keyboard.
In what Brian Williams calls “the most extraordinary race for President in modern American political history” (a rather sweeping statement, I thought)…America could elect a woman, a black man, or a war hero.
It’s exhilarating being part of the process, isn’t it?
And it’s exhilarating that voters are informing and empowering themselves for this very important election.
Posted at 9:51 PM by Gerry
3 Comments:
And the latest poll that I saw - Quinnipiac, I think - showed Clinton and Obama tied at 40%. I always vote in the primaries, but this year, I'll also drag every friend and neighbor in bodily, if need be, because it really does matter. I'm at least as nuts for political news as I am for sports, and this year I've really done my homework. I hope others have, too, rather than relying on the media-creation versions of candidates and pundit talking points that so many have been duped by over the last 8 years.
Actually, it was a Rasmussen poll (just to prove I pay attention during our own newscasts).
Of course, the only Rasmussen I know founded ESPN.
I like NBC's political news coverage well enough, but I've noticed one annoying trend: reporters interviewing reporters.
In last night's David Gregory report, there was a sound bite with CNBC's chief White House correspondent, John Harwood. Huh?
Does Harwood use sound bites with Gregory in his reports?
And while this is in no way an endorsement, I read an interesting piece yesterday that the Obama campaign rarely tries to spin reporters after their candidate says something. And the reporters don't know what to make of THAT, so they report on it.
And finally, it amazes me that the candidates' every sneeze is observed and reported on in one form or another. Who can do that...and what kind of person can put up with it?
OK, I'm done. For now.
thanks for the poll clarification - couldn't remember with any real degree of confidence! It's getting harder and harder to tell the "pundits" from the "reporters" these days. Everybody has an opinion, and is more than willing to share it. If I wanted opinions, I'd listen to Faux News (kill me first, please!) or read nothing but poli-blogs. As we've exchanged before, just give me the facts, and let me make up my own mind.
Even Keith O - who I do enjoy and watch nearly every night - can get to be a bit much with the interviews of Craig, John H, Richard (Newsweek) who are all reporters, but lean heavily toward punditry.
I'm betting you can guess my general political leanings, but even on that side of the fence, there are important distinctions to be drawn and decisions to be made.
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