Weir's Second Career? Budding MSMer Opines Against Iraq War

February 20th, 2006 7:59 AM

Things didn't work out well at the Olympics for Johnny Weir, the flamboyant American figure skater. Favored to take home a medal, he finished a disappointing fifth after a very rugged long program.

But Johnny shouldn't feel too bad. When he hangs up the skates, there could be a promising second career for him . . . as a member of the liberal media.

Interviewed on CBS' Early Show this morning, Weir explained that he knew he wasn't at his best on the day of the long program, and in particular wasn't "feeling pretty." Then, waxing philosophical, he noted that things aren't always perfect. If they were, Michelle Kwan would be skating, and "we wouldn't be in Iraq."

This isn't Johnny's first foray into political opinion at these Olympics. As NewsBuster David Pierre has pointed out, Weir has been seen sporting a Soviet Union retro jacket and has been heard to inveigh against "Republican-style people."

Hmm. With Katie Couric rumored to be moving to the CBS Evening News, there could be an opening at Today, Johnny.

Of course, that out of hours of potential Olympics coverage CBS chose to run a clip of a fifth-place finisher's shot against the Iraq war says something about Black Rock's own bias.

Finkelstein lives in Ithaca, NY, where he hosts the local TV show 'Right Angle.'  Email him at mark@gunhill.net