Bashing Matt Taibbi
By Gregor King
I know it is not popular to “Matt Bash”, especially since Mr. Taibbi is high on the ‘cool list’ as viewed from his recent television interview on The Colbert Report. Recently an article describing Barack Obama’s position relative to the Democratic pick appeared on Tiabbi’s blog The Smirking Chimp, “Obama on the Rise”.
Some things deserve comment as quickly as possible and cannot be ignored when they are read by so many, affected by so few and understood by fewer still.
Matt Tiabbi’s comments on the state of Barack Obama’s popularity and readiness for the presidency are greatly inaccurate.
There are many things which as Tiabbi points out which may transpire in sport that storey the success or failure possibilities resulting in the future of a champion. However, is this the way we pick winners in politics: by judging them on their talents, luck, and charisma or by their merits, experience and integrity?
The world of politics and sports are not parallel universes. And, even more distasteful is Tiabbi’s comparison of Obama to ‘Kennedy, Regan or ‘even’ Clinton”. Kennedy owned a political persona and had many years in public service (but Kennedy and Obama are approximately the same age approaching the Presidency); Kennedy had a lifelong preparation stage for the job; Regan occupied an ideal in the mind of movie going voters and had been the Governor of the largest state in the nation (they both exhibit this rock-star magnetism with ready smiles and home-body easiness; and Clinton had losses, negotiating sessions and law making experiences together with Gubernatorial experience before him before ever reaching where Obama finds himself today in the American collective psyche, (remember Clinton ran in 1992 a “a candidate for change and also as “the man from Hope”). After all, we not vote in an MVP but a BPP, “Best Possible President.” Regrettably, Barack Obama still has a one page resume.
To his credit, Tiabbi notes the inappropriate and infantile approvals that we can collect from the adoring public, such as “change is goood” [sic]; and “There's just something about him," rather vaguely; "Yeah, but it's good vague."
Granted, Obama is popular. But he is riding on what the American people are hopeful of; are idealizing as a likely candidate. After all, he speaks well; he looks good; bye in large he is regarded as having integrity and offers a pragmatic approach to problems. He’s shown that he can win, in Iowa; but not always as in New Hampshire...and second is not second, it’s behind Clinton, McCain and Romney and now Romney has beaten McCain in Michigan.
When tough decisions have to be made on Iran, China, Wall Street, housing and others, can we trust Obama to have the experience to make the right decision? Granted, all Presidents have their handlers, but Obama is a man who likes the front line and yet he hasn’t been tested. I’m inclined to think that whatever the advice he receives he will make his own decision and that folks, is what scares me. He appears to be a fine man, but in my opinion, he needs more time before he’s ready for this job.
I like Obama too. But my prediction is that he will fade soon. His inexperience and decision making abilities will be more and more in question and in the end, the public will choose Hilary Clinton as their Democratic candidate.
And I think Matt Tiabbi’s cool too!
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