Kevin Drum has a simple recommendation for the public confused by the media pitching Cheney vs. Obama: read the two speeches. Decide for yourself who makes the most sense.
Obama's speech is careful and moderate and cautious. Cheney's speech to the American Enterprise Institute is, well, Cheney, peddling fear and more fear, the stuff of GOP's politics of the last eight years. I'm sure Cheney got a standing ovation.
Is there any hope for us when our media cannot bring itself to note the difference between a careful analysis and simple fear-mongering, cannot rise above a "let's you and them fight" story line for every issue we face?
The Republicans and especially Cheney know this, so they keep hammering away, knowing that everything they say will be carried, without analysis.
The exception is McClatchy, always McClatchy.
I can't figure out what Cheney's angle is...other than to protect his own.. legacy. In doing so, he is perpetuating a climate of fear that he and Georgie spent so much energy to produce... but to what end? When he was in the White House, I could understand it...it made some sort of sense (albeit tragically stupid sense). This doesn't seem to have any political weight behind it.
He (Cheney) is like the guy at the party who is, at first, somewhat interesting to listen to.. as the night goes on, he drinks more (in Cheny's case from the cup of Power) getting drunker and drunker... fewer and fewer people listen...most simply turning away... until the guy is blitzed and standing in the front yard wearing only his underwear... screaming at the top of his lungs.
No one is around to hear it - he is incomprehensible anyway... but mercifully, the neighbors usually call the cops!
Posted by: David Daniel | May 22, 2009 at 12:08 PM