Sunday, May 11, 2008
The Self-Fulfilling Prophesy II
Having nearly completed their efforts at chasing Hillary Clinton out of her bid for the Democratic nomination for President by means of universal acclamation of the deep, divisive racism in her heart -- and in the hearts of her husband, her campaign, her supporters, and everyone who voted for her -- the media have turned their attention to setting the stage for explaining Barack Obama's inevitable defeat in November, which is: the deep, divisive racism in Hillary Clinton's heart, and in the hearts of her husband, her campaign, her supporters, and everyone who voted for her.
Surprise!
The decision on the part of the Obama campaign and its media flunkies to accuse its opponents of racism should be remembered as the defining shame of this election (which is no mean feat.) We say "should," but it won't, because of course the ones who adopted the strategy will be the ones writing the history -- and their story will be what it has been all along: everything is the Clintons' fault.
This not only saves the sages of the pages time and effort, it allows them continue to be all-knowing and worthy of our respectful attention even as their every solemn pronouncement and think-tank talking point fall to earth, like the feathers of a Tlanuwa magically transformed by the engine of a 747.
But no matter how cruel the blades of reality, the media birds fly on, certain, wingless, unaccountable, and arrogant beyond the comprehension of earth-bound creatures. This is known as the "Friedman Principle."
Which is a nice position to be in, if you think about it. It's like being a delusional king, but without any real responsibilities apart from getting the expense account in on time, and explaining all those three-martini lunches with John McCain's media liaison.
Make no mistake about it: that Obama will lose to John McCain has been as clear, as etched on the wall of certitude as surely as the stars hang in the sky, since primary results started coming in from the states which will decide November's election. McCain will beat Obama like a rented mule in Florida, Texas, and, very likely, California. And that will be game, set, and match.
Yet rather than accept this inescapable reality, Obama's cheerleaders all along the dial instead embarked upon a vicious character assassination, first of Hillary Clinton, then of her husband, and ultimately of the voters who disobediently chose her over The Chosen One.
Yes, having failed to follow orders, Clinton voters are finding out what happens to those who cross the corporate media: for daring to vote for a woman for President instead of the only Democratic nominee who dutifully mouths Republican talking points on everything from Social Security to health care, Clinton voters -- Clinton Democrats -- are being told they're racists.
And that, as much as anything, sealed Mr. Obama's fate. Because people don't like to be told they're racists. And they especially don't like to be told it by a**holes.
That so many well-meaning Democrats didn't wonder, even for a moment, why the same corporate media mouths that gave us George W. Bush and "The War Against Terror and Evil, Everywhere," loved Mr. Obama almost beyond sanity will puzzle us here for some time. But the result of their gullibility will hurt them as much, if not more, than the rest of us.
The aggressively pro-active race card played by Mr. Obama may have been effective on some Democrats, and may have helped him win some delegates. Race is a touchy subject among progressives, one that can cause even the surest to lose footing, however unfairly. But it is a far less effective weapon against those who will decide the general election in November.
In fact, it will very likely drive undecideds away from Obama and towards McCain. And Obama's media pals know it. That's why the more astute among them are already getting the story straight to explain his defeat: "Racism! Clintons' fault! Racism!"
It defies reason that Democrats could have blown this chance at regaining the presidency, but they have. And the fault lies with one side, and one side alone: the Obama campaign, and its media supporters. They stopped at nothing, literally, to get their guy the nod, knowing full well he could not win in November.
The question those who truly wanted a Democratic president need to ask is: why?
Surprise!
The decision on the part of the Obama campaign and its media flunkies to accuse its opponents of racism should be remembered as the defining shame of this election (which is no mean feat.) We say "should," but it won't, because of course the ones who adopted the strategy will be the ones writing the history -- and their story will be what it has been all along: everything is the Clintons' fault.
This not only saves the sages of the pages time and effort, it allows them continue to be all-knowing and worthy of our respectful attention even as their every solemn pronouncement and think-tank talking point fall to earth, like the feathers of a Tlanuwa magically transformed by the engine of a 747.
But no matter how cruel the blades of reality, the media birds fly on, certain, wingless, unaccountable, and arrogant beyond the comprehension of earth-bound creatures. This is known as the "Friedman Principle."
Which is a nice position to be in, if you think about it. It's like being a delusional king, but without any real responsibilities apart from getting the expense account in on time, and explaining all those three-martini lunches with John McCain's media liaison.
Make no mistake about it: that Obama will lose to John McCain has been as clear, as etched on the wall of certitude as surely as the stars hang in the sky, since primary results started coming in from the states which will decide November's election. McCain will beat Obama like a rented mule in Florida, Texas, and, very likely, California. And that will be game, set, and match.
Yet rather than accept this inescapable reality, Obama's cheerleaders all along the dial instead embarked upon a vicious character assassination, first of Hillary Clinton, then of her husband, and ultimately of the voters who disobediently chose her over The Chosen One.
Yes, having failed to follow orders, Clinton voters are finding out what happens to those who cross the corporate media: for daring to vote for a woman for President instead of the only Democratic nominee who dutifully mouths Republican talking points on everything from Social Security to health care, Clinton voters -- Clinton Democrats -- are being told they're racists.
And that, as much as anything, sealed Mr. Obama's fate. Because people don't like to be told they're racists. And they especially don't like to be told it by a**holes.
That so many well-meaning Democrats didn't wonder, even for a moment, why the same corporate media mouths that gave us George W. Bush and "The War Against Terror and Evil, Everywhere," loved Mr. Obama almost beyond sanity will puzzle us here for some time. But the result of their gullibility will hurt them as much, if not more, than the rest of us.
The aggressively pro-active race card played by Mr. Obama may have been effective on some Democrats, and may have helped him win some delegates. Race is a touchy subject among progressives, one that can cause even the surest to lose footing, however unfairly. But it is a far less effective weapon against those who will decide the general election in November.
In fact, it will very likely drive undecideds away from Obama and towards McCain. And Obama's media pals know it. That's why the more astute among them are already getting the story straight to explain his defeat: "Racism! Clintons' fault! Racism!"
It defies reason that Democrats could have blown this chance at regaining the presidency, but they have. And the fault lies with one side, and one side alone: the Obama campaign, and its media supporters. They stopped at nothing, literally, to get their guy the nod, knowing full well he could not win in November.
The question those who truly wanted a Democratic president need to ask is: why?
