The Sillinesss of Broderism's Independent Center

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2006
Posted on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 02:51:05 PM EST
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I was reading WaPo's writeup on Jim Webb and it provides two perfect examples of the silliness of the Media and its labels and David Broder's independent centrism. First this:

Webb, a former Republican and Reagan administration official, said he might be a bit of a maverick in the Senate, which could frustrate Democratic leaders who poured more than $6 million into his campaign. "I have my own views, and I have a lot of experiences, and I think I can bring the experiences I had to issues rather than having to read off a party briefing sheet," Webb said Friday in an interview.

Of course that is true, but Webb became a Democrat because he agreed with Dem positions. He is an economic populist who is against the Iraq War. The word maverick, also applied stupidly to John McCain, shows how dumb this all is - Webb disagrees with McCain on virually EVERY issue, but they are both mavericks? It is so symptomatic of the Media that rather than look at positions on issues all they can think of is in terms of labels.

But this second example is an especially absurd version of Broderism:

"It will make him a very important person," said former Nebraska senator Bob Kerrey (D), who had urged Webb to run. "If the question is how you structure our military for the future, he is going to come with a lot of knowledge." Kerrey said Webb will become a magnet for other senators who want him to co-sponsor their bills related to foreign policy to give them credibility.

Bob Kerrey is a good man, but my god he has the intellect of a turnip. How could he have urged Webb, who abhors the Iraq War and thinks poorly of Joe Lieberman, to run, while at the same time campaigning for Joe Lieberman? There is no coherence to that position.

Webb and Lieberman will disagree utterly on foreign policy and military matters. Do ideas matter to anyone in Washington or the elites?

A perfect example of the emptiness of Broderism, as practiced by Bob Kerrey. Truly there is no there to these people. They are as empty headed a group of people as you will find.

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The Sillinesss of Broderism's Independent Center | 10 comments (10 topical)

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considering the fact.................... (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by cpinva on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 06:40:45 PM EST

that webb pretty much came out of nowhere, to beat allen, who's been pretty popular for quite some time, i'd say 1% ain't too shabby.

How many posts is this? (none / 0) (#1)
by Slado on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 04:15:09 PM EST

BTD,

This must be the 10th post in a week about Broder. We get it. You don't agree with him. Enough already.

Enjoy the victory but it's a hard sell to convince the rest of us that many of the democrats won this past week because they didn't run to the middle on some issues.

Re: Honestly ;-) (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Edger on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 05:26:17 PM EST

Slado, We get it already.
=

btw, Big Tent - I hope you stay here. :-)

[ Parent ]

Honestly (none / 0) (#2)
by Big Tent Democrat on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 04:51:45 PM EST

This is just the type of comment that makes no sense to me.

Makes me want to write another on Broder, in fact think I will.

Is it NOT easier to just not read it? Did You feel you compelled to write a comment?

Here's a clue for you - the spinning of this election is VERY important.

Even if you DON'T get that.

[ Parent ]

Everyone should keep writing about Broderism (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by Molly Bloom on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:40:02 PM EST

until David Broder gets it... or everyone else gets that Broder isn't worth reading.

[ Parent ]

Spinning (none / 0) (#4)
by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 05:29:12 PM EST

BTD - I don't care who you write about, but I do agree with you that the spinning of the election is important.

You seem to think it is a landslide. I see it merely as the Repubs base being mad enough to cut their nose off to spite their face. I need go no further than point out that if an attractive candidate like Webb can only beat Allen's terrible effort by 1%, then it truly is the medium, not the message.

Now. You have this majority, and for a short time, the bully pulpit. The question is, do you actually want to do something for Americans like National Health Care, Gay Rights, rationalized drug laws... or do you want to attack Bush over the war and national defense. You win with the former and loose with the latter when the folks see that you have no plan besides giving up.

2008 is going to be 1998.

[ Parent ]

I think it was a decisive victory (none / 0) (#5)
by Big Tent Democrat on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 05:37:13 PM EST

and not for Broderism.

[ Parent ]

1998? (none / 0) (#8)
by Molly Bloom on Sat Nov 11, 2006 at 07:53:12 PM EST

That would be bad for the Democrats if 2008 turned into a replay of 1998... I mean we only gained a mere 5 seats and the GOP was shutout.

On Tuesday, voters got the chance to send Washington their own message. It was two words: Shut up! So the election that was supposed to be another G.O.P. blowout ended with a gain of five House seats for the Democrats, no change in the Senate and the morning-after spectacle of dumbstruck Republicans.

Shutting the GOP out would be bad for the Democratic party.

Absolutely.

Why limit ourselves? (none / 0) (#10)
by Repack Rider on Sun Nov 12, 2006 at 11:18:32 AM EST

The question is, do you actually want to do something for Americans like National Health Care, Gay Rights, rationalized drug laws... or do you want to attack Bush over the war and national defense.

I think we need to quote the Great Communicator on this. As Ronald (Saint) Reagan, the Republican who could do not wrong, so aptly put it when faced with several policy goals and asked to choose:

"LET'S DO 'EM ALL!"

Why limit ourselves to shaping the future, when we can expose the criminality of the past AT THE SAME TIME?

The GOP is now living its worst nightmare. The Ethics Committee that they tried to kill is back. A number of House committees are now chaired by long serving, ultra-liberal Black Democrats who have been waiting patiently for decades for this moment, AND THEY HAVE SUBPOENA POWER. Once the investigations start and some serious crap is revealed, you won't need Congress to ask for impeachment. The people with the torches and pitchforks will be lining up outside the White House.

[ Parent ]

: "LET'S DO 'EM ALL!" indeed (none / 0) (#11)
by Edger on Sun Nov 12, 2006 at 02:09:19 PM EST

The GOP is now living its worst nightmare.
I hope not. If they're feeling only a bit persecuted now, let's herd bush, cheney, rumsfeld, bremer, tenet, rice and the rest of the slimeballs into a caged off prisoners dock and watch them beg.
Really show them their worst nightmare.

[ Parent ]