CNN Piles it On

After Obama left the stage in Berlin, CNN aired the following segments as their "equal time" of coverage for McCain:

1) Mitt Romney's ex-communication's guy getting ripped to shreds by two angry Obama supporters as Ben Stein tries to chirp in and defend McCain.



2) McCain holds a press conference about foreign policy in front of deli cheeses.

VoteGopher: Worth a (long and serious) Look

Because it pays to be an honest blogger and disclose this type of thing, I was hired to produce all of VoteGopher.com's video content, but they're a seriously awesome website nonetheless.

Once their new website is fully operational, do yourself a favor and check them out.

Pology

"Too much of today's travel writing focuses on where to stay, eat and shop, but I'm convinced that there is a breed of traveler out there that knows getting lost and having the details unfold spontaneously is what leads to the stories that can be fondly retold for the rest of your life."

So says Neil Schwartz, the editor of the online travel journal/photography collection magazine "Pology."

I happened across Pology yesterday when searching around Craigslist. It turns out that Pology invites travelers, photographers, writers, and anyone willing to take a trip the opportunity to submit content to the online magazine. Though Pology does not publish everything it receives, I was happy to see a wide variety of people contributing.

Formal and organized enough to seem cultured, yet bare-bones enough to keep the focus on the photos and writing, Pology is a great place to read about and experience foreign lands, or, in the case of the recent article about Gloucester, MA, a town just a few miles away.

No Nonsense

My favorite sources for online political commentary are not the typical 'NYTimes, WaPo, Politico' roundup, but rather the Joan Walsh (Salon), New York Magazine, Vanity Fair trio.

Of particular interest to me this week (along with Gail Sheehy's "Hillaryland at War" in Vanity Fair) was Joan Walsh's "Slamming Wesley Clark." Cutting through ALL of the media hysteria that keeps begging the question, "are you sure Wesley Clark was not denigrating McCain's war experience?" Walsh presents the situation with Wes Clark very close to how I see it. One week after the initial "incident" occurred, I can't get over the fact that Clark has gone from a respected military commander and awesome Democrat to the black sheep of the Obama campaign.

Here is 80% of Walsh's column (read the rest HERE):

I was sorry to see the Obama campaign "reject" Gen. Wesley Clark's remarks about John McCain on Face the Nation yesterday. I think the context of Clark's remarks mattered (although that's gotten lost in the right wing blogosphere's attacks on Clark). Clark was baited into his statement by host Bob Schieffer, who took issue with some earlier, milder remarks Clark had made about McCain's military service not being direct preparation for the presidency.

Here's what was said:

Schieffer: I have to say, Barack Obama has not had any of those experiences either, nor has he ridden in a fighter plane and gotten shot down. I mean --

Clark: Well, I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.

Schieffer: Really?

I think the most fascinating part of the exchange was Schieffer's "Really?" which teed up the whole MSM outragegasm over Clark's words. Really, Bob, it's true: Riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down are not, by themselves, qualifications to be president.

Obama needs military leaders and veterans who aren't afraid to stand up and question McCain's "experience" argument, when so much of it is tied to his military experience. Earlier in the interview Clark called McCain a "hero" for the way he endured five and a half years of torture as a POW, but he was credibly taking on the argument that McCain's military experience, itself, makes him uniquely qualified to be commander in chief. I'm not sure Obama had to reject what Clark said, which was otherwise unobjectionable. I think Clark deserved better.

Good stuff.

Taking the Attacks off the Shelf

Barack Obama has had to dodge a few Republican bullets since Hillary Clinton ended her campaign last month, but he hasn't had to deal with what's about to come his way: massive anti-Obama advertising.

Head to head against McCain (debates, town halls, press conferences, etc.) I think Obama can defend himself well enough, but hundreds of millions of Republican dollars will soon be pumped into television sets around the country to try and change voters' opinions about Obama. It is the sad truth of modern day elections, but a large portion of the electorate will vote in November based upon their "impressions" of Obama, not what he actually stands for as a politician.

Some of these ads will be successful (think Swift Boat Vets for Truth...) and some won't be. But one thing is clear to me: negative advertising will be very effective in stopping Obama's inroads into new Democratic territory—Montana, Georgia, North Carolina, Indiana—where unpleasant half-truths about Obama will resonate with a traditionally conservative base of voters.

Worth an Hour

I'm a pretty faithful listener of Ira Glass' This American Life on NPR, but I was floored by this week's show more than most. What was to be a quick trip in the car to pick up a soda turned into an hour in the parking lot listening from beginning to end.

Not to unnecessarily politicize today's show, but with the Supreme Court's ruling this week defining the words of a document centuries old, I've been thinking a lot about how people deal with issues larger than themselves or how others fail, though sometimes succeed, at making decisions on our behalf.

Episode 358: Social Engineering articulates through storytelling what's been on my mind.



If you're not in the mood for such a dramatic listening experience, check out my all-time favorite This American Life episode, "First Day," from way back in 2002.

Only Met Him Once

Actually, I didn't really ever "meet" Tim Russert, but he did let me stand in front of him at a John McCain rally in Des Moines this past January. I told Russert I was a high school student and traveled all the way out to Iowa for Christmas. Russert said something to the effect of, "that's fantastic! Hope you're having a great trip."


One sentence and one photo I snapped as Tim was entering the room. That was it. But it's in the unprecedented level of journalistic integrity and hard work that now will live on in my memory of Tim Russert.

What's my first political memory?

Waking up on Sunday mornings, running down the stairs for breakfast and finding my dad watching Meet the Press.

Since 1991, always bringing enthusiasm to the job:

Listen to Good Reporting

Tonight's TV highlight might be the Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals game (especially here in Boston), but the cable news networks are abuzz with their sensational campaign news story of the day. For them, Barack Obama's meeting with Senator Clinton tonight serves as an opportunity to pull out live camera shots and a handful of political experts who purport to know what no other American not directly involved could know—what is going on behind closed doors.

However, if the Obama-Clinton meeting doesn't satisfy your newsy cravings and you have an hour to devote to the soothing radio tones of WAMU's The Diane Rehm Show, the best political commentary of the day comes from NBC News correspondent Richard Engel. Particularly noteworthy is Engel's presentation of what he sees as the "five wars" that have taken place in Iraq since the US invasion in 2003. Listen to the segment HERE, and skip ahead to the end of minute 17 to hear Engel's "five wars."

The heyday of network news might be over, but there's no question that the best correspondents—Engel included—continue to report with an intelligence and insight that make their reporting a waning form of art.

Lost in the Valley

I sat silently in front of the television on Sunday night as the end credits began to roll. I could do little more than stare blankly into the darkness of the living room and massage my eyes.

The final ten minutes of In The Valley of Elah left me saddened, frightened, moved, and shaken to the core on a level I hadn't felt since watching The Pianist as a young teenager.

I have an understanding with myself that I don't like to discuss how I liked or disliked a film until I've sat on it for a day or so and let my feelings solidify. Instead of talking, showering, checking my email, or doing anything else, I headed for bed and picked my iPod up on the way. I thought I'd have a song or artist to listen to whose music would tap into the way I was feeling.


I scrolled down from A to M and found songs of patriotism, rusty old Ford pickups, death, and anarchy (though not very many of those). Nothing I listened to connected with me in the way I needed. Alan Jackson and Rushlow Harris' tribute songs to soldiers were difficult to handle after the brutal stories from Elah, but Neil Young's words of protest or Wyclef Jean's diatribes against President Bush and foreign wars seemed similarly inappropriate.

Over the past day or so I've spoken with a few people about In the Valley of Elah and it has become clear to me that it is a film absorbed differently by everyone who watches it.

I still haven't figured out how to put my feelings down in words, but this morning I found a song buried on my iTunes that chips away at the deep personal inquiry that Elah has stirred in me—

"War" by Haunt. (listen HERE)

What Photographers Talk About

The two guys next to me--I believe one works for the Wall St. Journal and the other for the Washington Post--are covering a wide range of topics. These events are media circuses but act as great opportunities for long-lost photography buddies working around the country to catch up with each other.

The topics of conversation at the moment are:

-What it's like photographing the troops in Iraq (they've both been there)

-How unfortunate it is that every once grand newspaper is now owned by a big media corporation

-The joys of "independent photojournalism projects"...a.k.a. sleeping most of the day and taking a few neat shots in the afternoon.

-How campaign locations have become televison sets (the ballroom here tonight will have more press than supporters, of which there will be around 750 I hear).

-That it's ridiculous these campaigns are letting inexperienced photographers/high school students into these events as press (oops!).


More from Hillary HQ later.

The New York Times Proves its Worth

For a while The Daily Show seemed like the only program able to pull together the footage, the interviews, and the documents with incredible editorial precision to prove a point or expose a story. When so many news organizations simply latch onto day-to-day developments, the news world has been lacking a real player with the ability to comb archives, access private documents, and present a story that truly informs us of something we ought to know.

The New York Times' "How the Pentagon Spread Its Message" is a well-researched look into the inner-workings of the Pentagon's public relations operation and shows how the Defense Department corralled retired generals into launching a media blitz against anti-war and anti-Rumsfeld generals since before 2006.

As an interactive online investigation, the Times brilliantly combines audio, video, text, and a fantastic archive of Pentagon documents.

Instead of leaving me depressed about the day's events or upbeat about fluffy content, the Times' piece left me feeling informed, curious, and skeptical of the media and the Pentagon; it reminded me to be more discerning about information I absorb and where it comes from.


Explore the New York Times special investigation HERE.

A Comic Book

Rolling Stone endorsed Barack Obama in its most recent issue.

I can't say I'm surprised. Ever since Rolling Stone's political "experts" took to the airwaves before Super Tuesday as the new breed of hip campaign commentators—including the arrogant Matt Taibbi (seen recently bashing Hillary Clinton on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher") —it's been obvious where their support lies. A magazine that loves to idolize the gods and goddesses of rock 'n roll, RS treated their presidential endorsement with the same seriousness of a concert review.

The magazine's cover presents a drawing of Obama, lit from behind like the Son of God. Titles read, "A New Hope," "Inside his People-Powered Revolution," and "The Candidate and the Call of History."

In addition to the hyperbole, the depth of RS's analysis amounts to little more than piles and piles of naive statements like the following:

Although Obama declined to attack her personally for her vote for the war in Iraq, he did call it, devastatingly enough, a clear demonstration of her so-called experience and "judgment." He has also spoken forcefully about the need to break the grip of lobbyists — at a time when Clinton is the largest recipient of drug-company donations of anyone in Congress. Clinton could not address this issue at all, and neither will John McCain, who is equally a player in Washington's lobbyist culture.

If Rolling Stone were really trying to prove themselves as a serious source for campaign news and opinion in the upcoming election they would have acknowledged that one of the main thrusts of Obama's campaign is to attack Hillary for her vote on the war. In addition, they would have announced their endorsement of Obama at the same time that The New York Times or The LA Times did, earlier in the campaign process when seeing strengths in a candidate before the rest of the world did showed intuition and boldness. Instead, repeating the same old points, waiting until the rest of the pack has weighed in, and turning this important election into a glitzy, "This Week's Hottest!", tabloid event, Rolling Stone fumbles precisely where they wanted to show off.

With Two Great Comedians...

...playing the roles of Obama and Clinton, there's a new reason to watch SNL this election season.

Spot. On.

Beyond the Title

The Georgetown Voice is one of my favorite student-produced news sources. In fact, alongside RealClearPolitics, CNN, ThePolitico.com, and a number of other websites and newspapers, The Voice has a special place in my election news and opinion lineup.

There happened to be an editorial entitled "Clinton Shouldn't Fake Comeback" in this past Thursday's online edition, and it caught my attention.

Quoting the editorial:

Her actions, far from showing compassion for the disenfranchised, betray Clinton to be calculated and contemptuous of the DNC’s agreed-upon procedure.

Clinton’s divisive tactics are the last thing Democrats need in the 2008 election. Instead of in-fighting and backroom deals, they should be striving to live up to their messages of hope and unity.

At first read I completely agreed! The Democratic Party has been unable to translate popular support into electing a Democrat to the White House the past two elections, and the Democratic nomination being decided by superdelegates overriding pledged delegates would be horrible for the party.

But then I hit the spot where I usually drop off in these arguments—when Hillary is said to be the "delegate-grubber" and selfish politician while Barack Obama is, according to the Voice's editors, "striving to live up to message of hope and unity."

I'm starting to wonder if I'm the only one who thinks this way anymore. If Barack Obama was losing the nomination and wanted to get the delegates from Florida and Michigan (assuming he won those two states), I feel the media would sympathize with his intentions to enfranchise voters and unite the country, not break the US down into states counted by a political party and states ignored by a political party.

I know Hillary Clinton wants Florida and Michigan to be seated at the convention because she won those two states, not because she's fighting for voter enfranchisement, but would Senator Obama be as highly criticized as Ms. Clinton if he was in need of those two states' delegates?

Clinton is desperate now, but can 'Hope' ever be desperate too?

Joining the List

I've added a new link to my favorite blogs and websites tab on the right hand side of this page.

Two years my elder in middle school and high school, Eli is an undergrad at Wesleyan and is spending a semester back in the Bay State. Though this blog is hardly a mecca for pro-Obama opinion, Eli has been a vocal supporter of Senator Obama and created a blog of his own to pen his thoughts on the election.

Be sure to check out Eli's "Why I Chose Obama" blog!

Once Again...

...David Brooks comes through with a great summary of what's going on in America. (UPDATE: but evidently not in Wisconsin)

Diagnosing 'Obama Comedown Syndrome?'

I like it.

Read it HERE.

My First Vote

Conveniently, I don't even have to write about it. A video's worth more than a thousand words.

Oh How We've Missed John Stewart

A Really Quick Read

Former TV personality Roseanne Barr has a blog at her website (CLICK HERE).

Here's someone expressing all the thoughts that fly through her mind and not filtering or regretting what she says.

There is a definite pro-Hillary/Edwards/Gore/feminism tone in what she says, but her bursts of commentary are more than exciting. The following was published yesterday:

Feeling Pissed Off...

...that a woman finally made it all the way through the boys' club alive, to make history and that fact isn't even acknowledged. Hilary is the only woman who ever made it through this far. I have decided that having a woman president before any man of any color is what these times call for. i am a feminist, and I will die one. It matters that a woman made it through. i made it through and i know the horror and the pain a woman must endure from this woman hating culture to succeed. Hilary I am proud of you. You did it for all of us, black and white, and brown. A black male president should come after your presidency. One man is as good as another, no matter their color, no matter their creed. They are all men, and the propping up of any of them is old and tired and over. It's Women's time now, and the world needs us!!

and

Hillary.

What you need to do to win: offer free childcare so that mothers can come to vote. Say you will end the war immediately, borrow some visionary things to say from obama, and have chelsea campaign more, and "the hubster" less. Reference the sixties more for the boomer grandmas too. Talk about two americas, and class! bring on Babs S.!

It's fun stuff. 

The Punches are Flying on Hardball

And this professor on right now, Michael Eric Dyson, ranting about Obama is driving me nuts.

In response to Pat Buchanan's inquiry as to whether the race question has helped make Obama even a little more beloved by Democrats, Dyson sounded off...and sounded ridiculous:

"Barack Obama has overcome despite the racial realities. Barack Obama has had to walk into the room proving he is highly intelligent, highly literate, capable of transcending any tribal loyalties, to articulate a transcendent vision that speaks to the entire universe of political reality."

What the @#$%?!

Let's admit it. Hillary Clinton was greatly helped in the New Hampshire primary because she received a big dose of 11th-hour sympathy by voters in the Granite State in part because she is a woman, just as Barack Obama's race also helps garner his candidacy extra attention and interest.

Either a Clinton or an Obama presidency would be unprecedented in this country's history—stop trying to make one seem more important than the other.