Can we agree that this Nation writer is a clowing clown?

[dsc]

and thus unworthy of being quoted here.

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20031215&c=5&s=taibbi

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20031006&c=2&s=taibbi

http://www.nypress.com/16/44/news&columns/cage.cfm

All of these articles are by a person named Matt Taibbi. All three are excellent examples of clowning by our press corps. The first one about Clark features this bit of nonsense.




For the two weeks or so that I had been a volunteer, I had tried, unsuccessfully, to get a rise out of my fellow Clark supporters. Just to see how they would react, I had introduced myself at the first meet-up as an adult-film director named Rondell Abrams. Massachusetts campaign staff member Dave Rubin, a skittish young Brandeis grad, gritted his teeth when I told him I'd just finished making Asian Ass Vixens 6.

"I also did the East St. Louis Street Hookers series," I said.

If you don't believe me go to page 3 paragraphs 1 and 2. Sadly I am not making this up. This is the depths to which are political discource has sunk.

Here is a somewhat less agregious passage from the Dean article.

Then there was the Imageering 101 political staging, a subject of much snickering in the press pool. At most every stop Dean had a statistically accurate multicultural microcosm await his arrival on stage, usually against a background of a giant American flag. Milwaukee, the second stop on the tour, was the most painful: seventeen supporters of various races (in proper proportions: three blacks, two Hispanics, etc.), frozen and seemingly afraid to move or make a face against the backdrop of a mammoth Old Glory. Watching them wait for Dean gave me shivers; they looked like sausages nailed to a giant red, white and blue crucifix.

This one from the third article which disses all of our candidates is particularly ironic. You see, his problem is that our candidates aren't serious enough and use trite language.

The penis test. Campaign oratory has worsened considerably since the advent of the dial-survey–that hideous research technique in which test subjects are asked to turn a dial to one side (favorable) or another (unfavorable) in response to words spoken by candidates. The results of these surveys guarantees that certain words will be repeated ad nauseum, often forced into places in the text where they don’t belong, to fit some kind of mandatory quota.

Sadly, I haven't made this stuff up. Frankly, I couldn't if I tried. I am not that creative. But the Nation, in two of the three cases, found fit to print this nonsense. Many on this board can remember a time when the Nation was a serious magazine for serious people and about serious issues. A time when it represented the hopes and asperations of the left. Now it is a serious mess in need of serious cleaning from serious people. It is bad enough the likes of Taibbi polute our public discourse. His clowing has no place here. No matter which candidate he is trashing next time.

[FrenchieCat]

1. Thanks....

I guess that the 4 threads started about the article this guy wrote ought to be enough.... this additional 5th thread should provide extra protection!

[dsc]

3. You are a piece of work

You really are. Trust me I will never ever ever stand up for Clark again. You have assured that.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Did I say thank You,

or did I say Stank You?

I said thank you because so many threads had been started on this subject.

I know that Dean supporters don't like this author because of the articles he has written about Dean and all Democrats for that matter...

You are misreading my post......and providing it with a tone that is not there.

[Shakespeare]

6. I saw the same tone dsc did...

And I'm a Clark defender (not yet a supporter, but I KNOW you've seen countless posts by me defending Clark). Peace.

:shrug:

[dsc]

11. Thank you

I don't like clowning clowns no matter what stories they tell. I would have thought that was clear in the post. I am glad some people saw my point.

[Shakespeare]

4. I object to your response.

He's making a magnanimous gesture of support--please don't slam him for no reason at all. He does us a service by pointing out WHY this author is not to be taken seriously.

Really....I wish you'd apologize. I think maybe you misread the original post, or just skimmed through too quickly. :-(

[booley]

2. Well firstly, anybody from STL would have blown his cover..

"I also did the East St. Louis Street Hookers series,"

well firstly..Hookers in EAST Saint Louis?

No, the hookers are in North county (bored suburban kids) or centreville Ill (near the strip clubs)
;-)

Though seriously, why did this guy think that pretending to be a pornographer is relevant to a political campaign. Not to mention hyppocritical. Either Jesse helms or Phil gram ALSO produced a porno.

The guy is an idiot trying to appeal to other idiots. Why bother with him other then to show how low American Journalism has gone. we get better news coverage on the Daily Show.

[supernova]

7. So why is he working at The Nation?

I would expect something that sophomoric from Rolling Stone, but not from The Nation.

What's his point? That candidates and their staffers take themselves too seriously? Of course we do, that's the point.

[Kahuna]

10. I don't get his point either about the non-reaction of...

Clark's supporters. The stupid guy inserts these stupid anecdotes for the purpose of what? To show how childish and immature he is? It says much more about him than it does the supporters. :puke: What an idiot.

[democracyindanger]

8. Agreed.

From the Nation (hit) piece on Dean:

"The first axiom of campaign journalism, one that should be memorized by any reporter who tries it, goes as follows: Substance is impossible."

Not "tough to get." Not "virtually impossible." But simply "impossible," so Taibbi figures, why even try?

A clowning clown of the first order.

[Donna Zen]

9. Taibbi trolls the bottom

The "Nation" has decided on a swift name change, and has become "The Alien Nation" to be featured on supermarket checkouts everywhere. The loss of what was once a progressive outlet slides into the odious realm of tabloid bottom feeders. Could it be the Katrina hankers to challenge Noonan for the title of "Most Likely to Misinformed an Adoring Public"?

This particular article has struck pay dirt; it is appearing in blogs a reason to trash and bash Clark.

I miss the "Nation," but had pretty much given up on it. Oh sure, I've written my letter over this, but until our writing reaches critical mass, expect more of the same.

[dsc]

12. kick

:kick: