Sunday, October 19, 2008
The lesson of Joe the Plumber, and the only way to put an end to this
By now, everybody knows that the mainstream media has been going after "Joe the Plumber" -- the latest iconic "everyman" to have a close encounter of the gaffe kind with a presidential candidate -- with hammer and tongs. There are a number of lessons we might draw from J the P's sorry fate and other behaviors of the press this week.
Obviously, under no circumstances have a conversation with a presidential candidate. Do not ask any question that might trigger a gaffe, and at all costs avoid being photographed or recorded with him. Participation in democracy has become too dangerous for anybody who has not planned his life to do so.
We also know that there are clear categories of "everyman" who capture the interest of the mainstream media, and those who do not. For example, if you sued Cindy McCain 14 years ago, you are a plausible source for an investigation by the New York Times in late October of a presidential election year. If you sold or gave illegal drugs to Barack Obama 20+ years ago, you are not the least bit interesting. If you are the mother of a friend of one of the McCain kids, surely you have something nasty to say about Cindy's "parenting" (what modern mother doesn't at least think something snotty about the other mothers?). If you object to Barack Obama's tax policy and manage to get him to dismiss your opinions as insufficiently collectivist in front of a camera, you are fascinating. If Sarah Palin ever nudged your nose even slightly out of joint, you might as well be the Oracle of Delphi. And so forth.
The real question is whether anything can stop this radical extension of the politics of personal destruction. Should those of us who wish it were otherwise simply denounce it and set a good example, or should we devote ourselves to digging up dirt on reporters and editors who write this stuff? If the blogosphere treated every reporter with the same invasive contempt that the press applies to the "Joe the Plumbers" of the world, would that make them stop?
MORE: Apparently other people have asked the same question, only they used bad words.
8 Comments:
By 
, at
Sun Oct 19, 04:09:00 PM:
As much as I was taught to, and believe that we should, hold ourselves to a higher standard, I'm convinced now that you have to fight fire with fire - every reporter who goes this route should be subjected to the same scrutiny - their divorce, tax, criminal and any other public records should be shared, along with their addresses and telephone numbers.
By 
smitty1e, at
Sun Oct 19, 05:32:00 PM:
Truth is the new gaffe?
When you jump the shark, do it on a unicorn emitting a rainbow from its nether region.
By , at
Sun Oct 19, 06:16:00 PM:
Sure! Then we'll dig into the Bloggers' personal backgrounds. This sounds like a capital idea.
By clint, at
Sun Oct 19, 08:13:00 PM:
Perhaps instead we should simply start investigating the backgrounds of the worst reporters...
Turnabout is fair play, is it not?
And they have certainly become celebrities.
I suspect you could sell stories about them to the more reputable papers (like the National Enquirer).
By Assistant Village Idiot, at
Sun Oct 19, 08:42:00 PM:
George Bush has striven not to blame his opponents for every crisis. He did not place blame for 9-11 on the previous administration; when the financial crisis came up, there was not any I-told-you-so, but simply an appeal that everyone work together. Conservatives have complained that they have had to do all the heavy lifting for Bush making the case for his actions, and that his PR has been inadequate. This polite decency has been part of that.
So, how well did it work, and how much good will has that bought him?
By , at
Mon Oct 20, 10:07:00 AM:
KYPD, as the socialists will be coming for your tax dollars, your childrens' hearts and minds, your guns, your free speech rights, and your faith in our Republic. To slightly mis-quote Lord Grey, "The lamps are going out all over America; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime."
Keep Your Powder Dry.
By JPMcT, at
Mon Oct 20, 07:42:00 PM:
Just wait! The liberal media has been in a financial tailspin for a while now. Even NBC is laying off jobs. Their news has become propaganda...and Americans aren't going to pay for that.
Of course, until the Fairness Doctrine comes up for a vote with a radical president, a 250 seat Democratic House and a filibuster-proof Senate. After that passes, and talk radio becomes the first dominoe, the rest will be easy for them.
The "wisdom" of the American electorate has been replaced by the busloads of homeless trucked into polling places, rejection of military ballots, motor-voter laws that won't insist that one shows the license when they vote and armies of lawyers to cry "foul" for the "disenfranchised" (AKA losers).
It's a sad day when a group of people who have a 10% approval rating can be strangthened through popular elections.
I guess the years of liberal cohtrol of public education are paying off.
It really is evening in America...and the lights are indeed going out.
By , at
Tue Oct 21, 03:17:00 AM:
One thing conservatives need to do is start facing the truth and stop this whining that the press is out to get them. Truth is that Joe the Plumber hasn't paid his taxes,would probably bet a tax cut under Obama's plan and is tied to figures in the Keating scandal. He may very well have been a plant by Republican operatives. The press looked into his claims and the truth is the truth. If Joe had been pro Obama would you all be taking the same stance about his exposure?
Sorry but the strength of the conservative (Note: Republican don't equal conservative) tradition has always been ideas and principles. This hypocrisy, race baiting, smear campaigns, swiftboating, unconstitutional wars, big government taking our liberties is not what conservativism is all about. But then you all wouldn't know that. So just keep spinning your paranoid fantasies about the liberal media being unfair while the democrats kick your ass. Then maybe some day read some real conservative writers - not the Ann Coulter, Rush, Hannity lies and crap - and maybe learn something about what conservativism is all about. Ok go back to whining about the media and how its all so unfair to you and Sarah. Hey go to Alaska after the election to the Island where you can see Russia and bring a book by Buckley or Goldwater. You might lean something and at least you will be an expert on Russia. LMAO!!!!!!
