Parade, the nationally distributed Sunday newspaper supplement, handed its in-between-conventions political coverage to liberal Newsweek columnist Jonathan Alter. The editors actually kept the editorializing down in a story on how both campaigns are exciting voters and reaching independents. But you could still see the traditional labeling imbalance when describing the campaigns:
John McCain "had little support with the conservative base that has dominated the Republican Party for nearly half a century." What? I don't think any conservative alive for half a century would agree with that. Thirty years maybe, but not 50.
Get a load of how Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton: "But change hungry-voters made up their own minds and flocked to Obama, who won 11 straight contests in February...Throughout the campaign season, supporters of both Democrats sent a clear message: We decide, not the insiders."
It would have been much more accurate for Alter to describe how Obama won over the "liberal base that had dominated the Democratic Party for nearly half a century."
The article was headlined "Why The 2008 Election Is Bringing Power to the People!"
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It certainly isn't conservatives running the RNC today
August 31, 2008 - 13:01 ET by jefflebowskiNo conservative I know is happy that McCain is the nominee! He is anything but a conservative. The leftists throw around labels in a reckless manner. In keeping, every white not voting for Obama is racist, everyone not agreeing with the homosexual agenda is a homophobe, etc.
Jeff Lebowski
www.angrywhitedude.c...
You made me think of
August 31, 2008 - 13:10 ET by GregEYou made me think of something I often ponder. A "phobia" is a fear of something. The word "homophobe" is used time and again. I don't agree with the homosexual agenda, but certainly do not have fear of homosexuality.
A Half Century Of Conservatism
August 31, 2008 - 15:26 ET by zeestephenJonathan Alter writes: "John McCain "had little support with the conservative base that has dominated the Republican Party for nearly half a century."
Tim Graham responds: "What? I don't think any conservative alive for half a century would agree with that. Thirty years maybe, but not 50."
Sorry, Tim, I've been a Conservative for 50 years, and Alter is right.
The Conservative base has been the most energetic, most creative, most passionate, and most financially generous part of the Republican Party since at least 1964, which is "nearly half a century."
Movement Conservatives have never constituted a majority in the GOP.
But without Conservative dynamism, the GOP would just be the "socialist light" version of the Democratic Party.
John McCain "had little
August 31, 2008 - 13:06 ET by GregEJohn McCain "had little support with the conservative base that has dominated the Republican Party for nearly half a century." What? I don't think any conservative alive for half a century would agree with that. Thirty years maybe, but not 50.
I agree with you. But if he said 30 years, the drama is gone. Putting in the word "century" makes it automatically sound like eons, and of course that's the desired implication.
Change-hungry, interesting. I guess we conservatives that want government to QUIT SPENDING SO FREAKIN MUCH are not change-hungry. Less government spending, nah that's not change at all.
It should have been "Power to the Person"--George Soros...
August 31, 2008 - 13:12 ET by ThalpyIt should have been "Power to the Person"--George Soros. The Democrat Party looks like a convention for "Who was Who" of SDS with Soros at the helm.
Change hungry voters? If
August 31, 2008 - 13:29 ET by mattmChange hungry voters?
If these insulated media elites think Obama is a shoe-in, they are setting themselves up for a rude awakening.
I'm not saying McCain will win, but what will the Drive-Bys do if he does? Blame racism, no doubt.
In the words of Tom Sawyer, "what a pack of flatheads!"
If Obama loses, I can't even
August 31, 2008 - 13:33 ET by GregEIf Obama loses, I can't even imagine how some will act and the things that will be said, accusations made, etc etc etc.
The election could even be
August 31, 2008 - 13:35 ET by Free StinkerThe election could even be a Ragan sty;le '84 blowout such as against Mondale, and the MSM will still be crying foul !
Sarah Palin - This is what a Conservative looks like !
If Obama loses...
August 31, 2008 - 19:19 ET by Jnoble..then we will be treated to a week or more of the MSM complaining along the line of:
"America could have made history, but instead chose not to..."
"Racism: How much a part did it play in McCains win?"
"Did McCain get illegal help from BushHitlerCheneyHalliburton??"
"America is still full of idiots who clearly have no business voting because they are so dumb to keep voting for Republicans..."
"America is over. The economy is going to tank even more. The rivers will flow red with the blood of the newly homeless. Racism, sexism, endless illegal war, bigotry will explode...."
Years and years of MSM whining if Obama loses
August 31, 2008 - 19:51 ET by nkviking75Jnoble--
A week of complaining? You must be a major-league optomist. This will go on for years and years. Like the proverbial rolling stone gathering moss, there will be more and more far fetched conspiracy theories growing up around his loss. "How could McCain have beat Obama when Obama was clearly superior? The Republicans must have stolen the election again." After all, we're still hearing the fantasy that Bush stole the 2000 election from Gore.
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Editorializing
August 31, 2008 - 13:49 ET by KC MulvilleWith respect, I disagree about the level of editorializing. Here are the categories by which Alter is analyzing the race: Turnout, Media, Money, Independence, and Excitement. In all categories, except media, Alter favors Obama. (With media, like a good Walter Burns-type reporter, Alter promotes the media itself.) The editorializing is revealed by the categories chosen. Why choose these categories? Because they favor Obama.
You could have easily started with an assertion that this is basically a center-right country, and so the election doesn't start from scratch. You could then have chosen issues as your categories: The War, The Economy, Energy, Social Issues. On all these issues, McCain is at least competitive, if not a clear winner. The polls show that McCain is a stronger leader, that the people don't want new taxes, they want drilling, they're not radical abortionists, etc.