I Hate Our Presidential Media Culture

Well, Obama had to come out and blast his former pastor today, and he did it. It's kind of sad that it's come to this, where guilt by association and media pressure is so enormous that pounds and pounds of flesh have to be extracted.

Meanwhile, a stupid and unnecessary war goes on, and millions of people will probably lose their homes, and tens of millions around the world will go to bed tonight hungry, and we have a President who directs the Army Corps of Engineers to use wet newspapers to plug holes in the New Orleans floodwall, which is about as fitting a metaphor as there can be to how this Administration and the conservative movement over the last 30 years has insufficiently plugged holes in the gaps and challenges we face.

I don't feel any need to defend or denounce a guy like Rev. Wright. He has his own beliefs, some of which I agree with and some of which I don't. But he's a blip on the radar screen compared to what we need to do in America. Whether it's Rev. Wright or Ward Churchill or Some Guy With A Sign Somewhere, I'm not such a wilting flower that I think comments made by marginal people represents any grave threat to America or ought to merit any kind of response. I believe the First Amendment is strong enough to absorb any opinion, even dumb ones, even ones that (gasp!) criticize the country. It sickens me that the media is so pushed by conservative tropes that they insist these meaningless issues matter, and that they really believe comments - comments! - are more important than domestic or foreign policy.

Well, that's why we're in this ditch right now. And the media actually has to be held accountable for that.

Obama engaged in good politics today, but the system is what depresses me.

UPDATE: David Neiwert speaks for me.