May 7, 2008...9:11 pm
This means war! Gasp…
A funny thing happened when I opened the Los Angeles Times this morning. The headline on the primaries was neutral, with Obama winning NC and Clinton IN. Then below, in those sub-headlines, was the subtext. He wasn’t strong enough. I was a little surprised, after so many blogs had been crowing about Obama’s victory, and Obama himself had crowed a little (his right, he won big in NC). The New York Times was using words like “commanding victory,” though it also pointed out he “fell short” of beating Clinton in IN. Both papers have endorsed Clinton, so I thought I would look at some who had not.
The Chicago Tribune: “Obama, Clinton split primaries.”
All of the papers discussed Clinton’s narrow lead in Indiana and speculated about what this meant for her campaign, but with an air of…regret? Each paper noted that both candidates were holding their respective demographics. In other words, there will be no movement, not because of Rev. Wright, or charges that her gas tax holiday is mere pandering. No movement. Thud.
I think the media is bummed out, which kind of surprises me. (I know Obama fans think the media is not kind to him, and Hillary fans think the media is not kind to her. Let’s be honest: the media are way worse to her, despite the Rev. Wright 24/7 fest.)
I was not sure what to make of it until I read SeattlePi.com:
That presents a challenge for Obama, seeking to become the nation’s first black president, who is within inches of grasping the nomination. After a big win in North Carolina and a near-miss in Indiana primaries on Tuesday, Obama is anxious for an opportunity to deliver Clinton a knockout blow.
But West Virginia, which is next up on May 13, is more likely to infuse Clinton with desperately needed oxygen.
It’s the media who need that oxygen.
So what do they do? They remind us that the last time West Virginia mattered was to John F. Kennedy. We must imagine him standing next to Bobby, their backs to us, contemplating the threat that is the Cuban Missile Crisis. Now imagine Hillary next Obama, their backs to us, contemplating the media movement crisis…
1 Comment
May 8, 2008 at 8:37 pm
If the media is truly bummed out, as you suspect (and I suspect you may be correct), it’s probably because they don’t want this thing to end. It’s been pretty good for business.
It’s like if the Red Sox and Yankees were in the ALCS for five months. ESPN would be going crazy. I’d be going insane. I wonder if that’s how some Republicans secretly feel. Like, just shut up about the stupid liberals already!!
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