Let me guess, my invitation got lost in the mail
Barak Obama, being the smart cookie that he is, moved quickly to disarm his potential opposition among the Cosmo pundit class by recently meeting with several notable Right and Left wing columnists. The lists of Right-wing social democrats were: George Will, Charles Krauthammer, William Kristol, Larry Kudlow, David Brooks, Rich Lowry, Peggy Noonan, Michael Barone, and Paul Gigot (and Will’s home no less) while the Leftists include: E.J. Dionne, Eugene Robinson, Gerry Seib, Ron Brownstein, Frank Rich, Maureen Dowd, Andrew Sullivan, and Rachel Maddow.
What’s interesting is not that he met with the boys and girls members of the insider club. Its that he’s not extending his “outreach” to those outside Cosmo world. Now, I certainly didn’t expect him to set up a working breakfast with Lew Rockwell, Dr. Thomas Fleming, Pat Buchanan, Taki, Bill Kauffman, Eric Margolis, Scott McConnell, Peter Brimelow or Jason P. Sorens. Hell, I would have settled with 15 minutes with Ron Paul and all he has to do for that is walk down Pennsylvania Ave.
But I didn’t see Kos’ name, or that other prominent Left bloggers on the guest lists for the liberal’s face time, nor that of Glenn Greenwald, Matt Ygelsias, Alexander Cockburn, David Corn, Matt Rothschild, Paul Glastris, Michael Lerner or even a Unte Reader editor either.
Barak Obama’s candidacy was given credibility by the bloggers which in turn spurred provo activists outside of Cosmo world, especially in western caucus states where such forces organize online, to help him win the nomination. One can only hope he at least doesn’t forget them along the way as he tries to “reach out.” He does owe them something.
In fact, I’ll be happy to open my home up for such a meeting. My wife’s a great cook and loves to host parties. If you all can figure out how to get to Arkansaw, Wisconsin, then we can have a grand old time listening to you, Mr. President-Elect give all appearances of agreeing with us and charm us to the point where we never raise our poison pens and watch you nod at with every point you make. Just give me call…
I would shocked if Obama hasn’t met with Lerner or Corn, if not both.
The soon-to-be Commander in Chief also gets define us, by bestowing his imprimatur on these phonies as the respectable right. Maybe we should produce a public letter from Actual Conservatives entitled, What Your Lapdogs Didn’t Tell You. Now if we could just find someone with enough money to pay for the full page ad.
EMPTY GESTURE. Obama isn’t going to be swayed by conservative opinion, no matter where it’s coming from.
http://www.rightklik.net/
“If you all can figure out how to get to Arkansaw, Wisconsin, then we can have a grand old time listening to you, Mr. President-Elect….”
Hell I’m *from* Wisconsin and never heard of Arkansaw before. Maybe that now Obama’s got the military and CIA they can find it for him, but I don’t know. They seem to have gotten lost a bit at Tora Bora even, so….
‘The soon-to-be Commander in Chief also gets define us, by bestowing his imprimatur on these phonies as the respectable right.’
It’s not Obama who has elevated them to leaders of opinion on the right. He’s just playing the hand he was dealt.
‘EMPTY GESTURE. Obama isn’t going to be swayed by conservative opinion, no matter where it’s coming from.’
Of course not cuz hez a hard core liebural out to take what’s yours and distribute it to his socialist muslim brotherhood.
Keep scarin’. It might work if you find a group of really stupid people to speak at. Like talk radio audiences. Literate folks who aren’t already biased are no longer buying it now that we have access to the rest of the info.
The Plutocracy Always Wins.
I am sure that the President Elect has more to do than to meet with every blogger and pundit in a 200 mile radius of Washington, DC. Of course there is a down side to this, he failed to continue the “tradition” of two previous presidents, i.e. meet with the editorial board of the New York Times.
As a result, they laid a curse on him condemning him to be a “one term president” because of the perceived snub.
Olbermann’s not on the list. Maddow is. *snicker*
David Brooks was on NPR yesterday describing Obama’s “refreshing empiricism,” during the conclave. This I take it, is Neo-conservative speak for a fellow opportunist unfettered by plan or principle. Gentlemen and Ladies, we are entering interesting times.