Just How Soft has Obama’s Coverage Been?
17 April 2008 12:01 am by Taylor Marsh
cross-posted at Huffington Post
Marshmallow soft.
Down pillow soft.
Baby’s bottom soft.
So no one should be surprised that Obama
had a nightmare night. He finally got real questions for which he should
have had ready answers. Over the last year Barack Obama has gotten a complete
pass on his record, his life and everything associated to his political rise.
In fact, if Senator Obama had been subjected to the scrutiny that Hillary Clinton
has been subjected to he would have turned to ash by now.
So forgive me if all the blogospheric bellyaching permeating Democratic circles
is not impressing me much. In fact, it’s a laugh out loud moment.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m more than willing to blame the traditional media
for piling on a Democrat, which they do often. But do these progressives now
crying fowl really believe they could protect Mr. Obama, as his Democratic challengers
did all last year, throughout the rest of this campaign? Asking a question about
Rev. Wright? A question about William Ayers? The horror! Seriously, is Senator
Obama so frail that he shouldn’t be subjected to questioning that should have
come a long time ago and will inevitably come in the general election? If nothing
else and at the very least, everyone in the Democratic party should want to
know how he’s going to handle this stuff if he’s our nominee. Because
there can be no doubt that the wingnuts will lock and load Barack’s greatest
hits, then share them with the electorate in a cascade of negative gifts.
Mind you, this is questioning I’ve been doing for a year and getting excoriated
for it. So I feel Charlie and George’s pain. Going for substance isn’t easy
amidst the Political Idol crowd.
The facts are that the progressive community and Obama supporters have done
their candidate no favors by the kid glove treatment they’ve applied to all
things having to do with him and his record, including his associations. What happened last night is a result of one
year of people ignoring reality. That’s right, reality. Because the
closer Obama got to the nomination and the general election, the curtain would
eventually be pulled back on every event in his life, good, bad and horror show,
which includes Rev. Wright.
This is the reason we lose elections.
What, did Obama’s adoring fans think they could hermetically seal him and protect
him from the meanies out there, then simply deliver him to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue because “he’s the one?” Good grief.
If Obama would have been put through his paces last fall, he might have been
past this by now. If his own campaign had faced up to his associations long
ago, head on, he wouldn’t be dealing with this now.
Again, I’d blame Gibson and Stephanopoulos, but it’s not their fault that someone,
anyone finally asked questions that have been out there for months
and months. It’s not tabloid to ask about Ayers any more than it was tabloid
to question Bill Clinton about his past. Hillary’s been asked about everything
more than once, as they reload to ask it all over again.
Oh, and as for Keith He’s No Edward R. Murrow Olbermann, don’t send
a sportscaster to do a political analyst’s job. Talking to Howard Wolfson, with Olbermann
whining about the questions about Ayers, isn’t doing us any favors either. He’s just giving Obama fans a false sense of security. It’s as if the
only people dealing with reality and preparing for the Republican attack machine
is the Clinton campaign. Olbermann is on planet Zen if he thinks that Ayers
won’t be part of the dialogue come September. (You know, because you never
roll out a new campaign in August.)
We need a nominee that can walk through fire. Whoever we offer up should be
able to withstand anything, and I do mean anything. Because that’s
what always comes at Democrats, with the traditional press inevitably having
a thing for the guy on the other side. Considering that guy will be John McCain,
the hero worship will be out in force.
No Democratic politician in the last 20 years has gotten a softer introduction
onto the national stage than Barack Obama. Nobody has gotten an easier ride
to the top step of presidential politics either. He paid for it last
night.
