By John A. Farrell, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
In the gummy bear land of news and commentary (Hellllllo, Sarah!), today's high-calorie-low-nutrition novelty is the debate over poor Harry Reid.
Back during the 2008 presidential campaign, Reid told inquiring reporters that Obama was a successful candidate because his Ivy League smarts and reasoned speeches made him more acceptable to voters then, say, a rabble-rousing politician like Al Sharpton. Reid apparently said this about the time that Joe Biden was voicing the same sentiments. Since Biden is now vice president, this particular line of thought has apparently not bothered Mr. Obama. Why should it? If Reid insulted anyone, it was not Obama.
Here is the essence of what Reid said: "The white people of this country are so superficial and ignorant that they will vote against their own interests, and the future of their families and their country, if a candidate says 'axed' instead of 'asked.'"
There is a little truth to that. We tend to favor candidates who act like we do. But it is a pretty elitist view, nonetheless, and demeaning to the rest of us, if you take the time to think about it.
Having spent an hour-and-a-half with my fellow Americans waiting to be called at the department of motor vehicles yesterday, I can testify that there is a considerable level of shallowness and stupidity in folks of all race and gender: including yours truly, who almost flunked the eye test because he didn't comprehend the directions.
But, looking back at the 2008 election results, those same dumb Americans aptly concluded that their country was on the wrong track, nominated two reformers, and picked the black Democrat over the white Republican as a perfectly sound and reasonable choice to bring change to Washington.
And if, in three years, our lives are not better, and our government still seems clueless, ineffective, and in the grip of special interests, we will dump Mr. Obama and give another candidate the broom. And we will keep doing this until somebody gets it right. And his or her diction will have little to do with it.
You betcha.
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Melitota of MD 9:41AM January 16, 2010
Go Green Up ur azz 4:34PM January 15, 2010
Born American of CA 5:39PM January 14, 2010