Thin skinned (or something)
Is this a war between Obama and Clinton, or is it a war between Frank Rich and Paul Krugman? Yesterday, Rich's column skewered Hillary (largely falsely). Today, once again, Krugman skewers Obama (largely falsely). What's going on here? In both cases, the columnists seem to have a personal bone to pick with the candidate. Why? I don't get the personal animosity and downright hatred that seems to be spewing from these two guys. Frankly, I think both the candidates are superb. I happen to lean in the direction of Obama right now, but I'll certainly be an enthusiastic Hillary supporter if she wins the nomination. I can't imagine hating either one.
I wish both of these guys would get over their personal grudges and get back to writing solid analysis instead of personal diatribes.
I wish both of these guys would get over their personal grudges and get back to writing solid analysis instead of personal diatribes.
posted by walldon | 9:04 AM
1 Comments:
I didn't see this one by Krugman as an attack on Obama himself, and he is certainly right about the "Clinton Rules." However, the pundits and reporters need to start attempting to differentiate between the candidates and authorized activities of their campaigns vs. the legions of free agents getting themselves in the papers by saying stuff to reporters they think will help the campaign because they think it will hurt the other one. Campaigns are hard to control anywhere, and Obama's campaign, to its credit, has drawn a large number of people new to politics, as well as many Hillary-Haters cultivated relentlessly by right wing money over the past 20 years.
I disagree completely with Krugman's last statement: Obama has expressed his admiration of Clinton clearly and loudly. They both have of each other. I might have preferred to see him jump into the attack on Shuster, but for all we know he actually did. (I didn't see it reported, anyway.)
Obama could, maybe counter-intuitively, actually help himself in the rest of the primaries by loudly attacking the "Clinton Rules" himself. Besides reinforcing his "healer" image, it would do Democrats a world of good for the long haul, too.
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