My God, insider pundits are idiots
Driving in to work today, with my radio dutifully tuned to NPR, I suddenly found myself swearing up a storm: and not a single driver had cut me off, given me the finger or splashed muddy water onto my windshield. No, it was the voice on the radio that set me off.
They were talking about Judd Gregg — you know, the guy who just made an absolute fool of himself — withdrawing his name for commerce secretary. And insider conventional wisdom was flowing through my radio thicker (and in an even more disgusting fashion) than filth streaming from an open sewer. It seems, according to the official media talking points, that this has been — “yet another” — tremendous blow to Barack Obama. His attempts at bipartisanship are failing miserably — and because of this the Republicans are resurgent, having, in all their tiny minority glory, found their voice again.
All of which raises an interesting question: is finding one’s voice a good thing when you sound worse than, say, Tiny Tim?
I mean, give me a break. The vast majority of the American electorate, at least at this moment, can’t stand Republicans — and nonsense like this, whatever the major media thinks to the contrary, just makes it that much worse. Although, like most liberals, I’m less than enamored with Obama’s “post partisan” crusade, I do have enough sense to know that “winning” or “losing” on this subject has to do with public perception, not with how successful Obama is in actually winning over the collection of nuts who we euphemistically refer to as congressional Republicans.
And what again is the public’s perception of today’s GOP? Well, to be honest, I really can’t use that kind of language on a family oriented blog like this.
It’s getting to the point where I can barely stand tuning into conventional news sources, even comparatively worthy ones like NPR. It just does too much damage to my soul to listen to these overpaid and over-pampered talking heads mindlessly repeated vacant talking points — conventional “wisdom” that even the average goldfish would realize is nothing more than pure BS (I mean, really, how much Cokie Roberts is one mortal supposed to take?).
It puts me in mind of a song from long ago (and of a mind to change the words a little). Here’s the original version:
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Little boxes, little boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
There’s a green one and a pink one
There’s a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.
Except for present purposes, let’s modify the lyrics like this:
Little Pundits
Little pundits on the boob tube
Little pundits made of ticky-tacky,
Little pundits, little pundits,
Little pundits, all the same.
They all blather out the same blow
Not a new thought in the bunch though
Baseless rumors at their hands grow
And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all sound just the same.
You know, the more I think about it, the more I hope the revolution isn’t televised. I don’t think I could stand the color commentary.
February 13th, 2009 at 11:44 am
Thanks for your great comments. I couldn’t agree more. Most of the time the pundits just spew garbage or poison. It drives me nuts. There are some out there that are quite intelligent, but for the most part they are thoughtless, repeating unchecked garbage!
February 13th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Notice that this “pundit talk” came from NPR, supposedly the thinking person’s radio outlet of choice?
I walked away from NPR after years of allowing unfettered access to their airwaves by conservatives and timid, spineless DLC-type Dems. Once Air America started up, I switched over on day one and haven’t gone back.
I’ve learned more from five years of actual progressive radio then the two decades of pablum that we got from the supposed “liberal” NPR. I distinctly remember them broadcasting cheering section after cheering section for Ronald Reagan during the ’80’s as well.
When my friends even bring it up it’s all I can do to bite my lip to keep from screaming how can you possibly listen to that bilge? Life is short and I plan to spend it squarely with the reality-based crowd.
February 13th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
NPR, eh? National Plutocratic Radio. Could be National Petroleum Radio too. One of their ’sponsors’ is Archer Daniels Midland.
February 14th, 2009 at 3:24 am
I NEVER listen to NPR. Nonsense Perpetually Repeated. The pundits have to fill air time, earn their keep, get attention, and justify their existence. I find them as tedious, for the most part, as art critics. They have no secret knowledge of the universe, wisdom isnt their forte, and they drool with longing to be seen as “being in the know.” It is really just one man or woman’s opinion. No better than yours or mine. (Actually, I think ours are better.) But, like the idiot art critics who praised plastic poop in a bedpan as art, these pundits are declared all-knowing, all-seeing wisemen and women. Only those who cannot and will not think for themselves give them much credence. The rest of us will value facts and make our own judgements.
February 14th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Look up the word pundit and you will find your name!
Got news for you liberals the vast majority of the Americans are not like you. they are conservatives! and what is this crap you liberals want to be called “progressive” Sorry but you are what you are and no name change will cause people to forget that you are nothing but spineless fools.
enjoy your 4 years because in 2012 the Gop takes back our government from you creeps!\
From Steve: “You creeps?” Wow, with zingers like that how can you guys help but come back in 2012?
February 14th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
NPR/Public Television has been hijacked by the Gang Of Pirates for years now. The changes have not made it Faux in every case as the Bill Moyers kerfuffle demonstrated, there has been some push back, but where there was not hard pushback, normal has definitely drifted right of center.
As for “The Little Boxes” Song there are a lot of verses and room for a good last verse.
And some girls go into punditries,
and talk about inanities
As they smile from little boxes,
little boxes all the same
And they play the fear card and the sex card,
and even the gay marriage card,
and it makes them a lot of money
and it all sounds just the same
February 15th, 2009 at 1:37 am
The Right-Wing reeks of sour grapes, bile and venom. Not even a warehouse full of Tums can help that much bitter acid.