I have been waiting for days for Al's last show and to write a diary on behalf of what made him different on Air America Radio all these years and what a big fan I am of him, but wasn't it obvious that Bill in Portland Maine would write a charming one?
Instead, what I got around to reading today was David Sirota's (a Franken regular on the program - "My Sirota") post on the hack job against him in the Washington Post.
As always, not terribly surprising, but dreadfully disappointing.
Continues below...
There are a lot of comments over at the original article. The little attack dog has even posted a follow up article. No links here though.
A lot of people seemed to tell her what was obvious about how pre-pubescent her piece was on the event of a real jouralist running against obstacles in attempting to cover activities in the U.S. Senate.
Me, I just started imagining the conversation of Mary Ann Akers and another ditzy teenie bopper chatting it up about the event as if I were a fly on the wall.
What's so sad about this gossip drivel that the Washingon Post published is not that she wished to discuss it. It's that she completely missed the whole point about questioning the process of accreditation for press access and didn't seem to do any homework about David Sirota at all. She didn't even mention or even question his ability as a journalist or project. She just wanted to do a cheap gossipy character attack like he was some disobeying, sniveling, law breaking weasel.
Very sad, her angle. And, I wouldn't think that she is smart enough to attempt to make it be snark, for she was swiftly and easily corrected by her main source participant in the story and she didn't even seem to mind. There was no response, least not in part 1.
So, I saw some really pathetic, childish attack of a real journalist's character rather and an "event" commenting on the reactions of people that somehow don't seem to make their names into the piece in somehow backing up the ridiculing of Sirota in the "event".
Every time I read Sirota, I think to myself how much I'm wasting my time by not reading his column more regularly and when I return to the States, I will buy all of his books.
Anyway, what started as a comment to the hack's attack piece resulted in a dialog too long for the comment box.
Hope, it's not too low grade for the gallery.
Oh my God! Did you hear?!
Like, Oh.My.God. Kristen, you are never going to believe what I heard! Wait! Wait! No, this one is better. Wait. Well, ok, there was like. No. Wait! Wait. You're gonna like this. It's like soooo funny.
But like - first! - I've got some big news...
Kristen: What? What happened?!
Mary Ann: I got a job! Aaaaaahhhhh!!!!!
Kristen: A job?! What, what are you doing?
Mary Ann: I'm a journalist! Isn't that a scream?!
Kristen: A journalist? But you have no -
Mary Ann: I know, right? But, it's cool. Mr. N. said I won't have to worry about it.
Kristen: Mr. N... Ew, you don't mean that creepy old guy, do you? Mr. Novakula?! Ew, the Creepmeister?!
Mary Ann: Heh, yeah, well, yep, Mr. N. But, he's cool. It's cool.
Kristen: Well, how did you get that? Wait, you didn't...Mary Ann, you didn't...
Mary Ann: ...
Kristen: You didn't...
Mary Ann: Huh? Oh no! Gross! Never. But, you know who is kind of slimy like that?...There's this one chubby guy, Timmy.
Kristen: Timmy? Is he cute?
Mary Ann: Well, not really. Well, I guess a little, uh...not really, but there is this one thing that they are always saying. They are always telling me how cute I am and saying things like "Girlie, you're really cute.", "Girlie, you are very pretty today." and then ask if I can keep a secret.
Kristen: A secret? But, Mary, not you.
Mary Ann: I know, right? It's funny, like, right, you know? Who would ever tell me like a secret knowing how much I talk, and then like ask, "can you keep a secret?". It's like so strange, right?...Anyway.
Kristen: Yeah. What a bunch of dumb asses. Anyway, so what do you do? How do you...what do you write about?
Mary Ann: Well, I write like a gossip column at the Washington Post.
Kristin: Gossip? Oh, that should be easy for you, but the Washington Post, never heard of that one. Why don't you write for like People or uh, Vanity Fair, is that a gossipy one?
Mary Ann: Hmm, Vanity Fair, don't know. Sounds like one. Anyway, I didn't know if I could because I never read this Post thingy. I never even heard of it. I thought it would just be like really boring, and all black and white, boring politician stuff, but it's pretty easy.
Kristin: So, how do you get to write gossipy stuff about celebrities for politicians? I don't get it. You don't know anything about politicians.
Mary Ann: Oh, I know, but no probs. I don't have to worry about that. Mr. N. just gives me these tips he calls leads.
Kristin: Leads?
Mary Ann: Yeah, leads, and he calls me "the Sleuth".
Kristin: The Sleuth? Uh, do you think that could be a little sar..?
Mary Ann: What's that?
Kristin: Uh nothing, so you said he gives you leads?
Mary Ann: Yeah, it's like he's leading me to something, but really, he just gives me basically the whole thing.
Kristin: Wait?! You get paid to just give the Posty thing what he gives you?
Mary Ann: Yeah, like more or less. And, then he tells me a few people to talk to to help out. It's pretty easy. I can't believe he like soooo hooked me up. Mr. N. is awesome.
Kristin: So, like if he gives you all the info and knows who to talk to, why doesn't he just give this stuff to the Poster paper?
Mary Ann: Yeah, I never really got that. He just said anyway something about being really busy. Said he has stuff "to resolve" and might be busy over some problem and a kid named Scooter. Said the "big chief" might need him too. Some guy, the "big dick". Anyway! Who cares? I don't.
Kristin: So, that was the big news? Well, your new job is great, but you got me all nervous and excited. I thought you were going to tell me something really good. Mary, you said I wouldn't believe you. I thought it was something good, like gossip...
Mary Ann: Oh right, sorry...I forgot. So, there's this girl Marcy and last weekend she threw this big party at the Capitol. But, it was really weird. It was like at daytime, you know? And, it was like secret. The politickers were there, but they were all working, but then there was the party of people that were just like hanging out. That's what I never got. It's like we were having a party, but like no one was announcing it. It was kind of fun...So, this guy shows up and I checked with Marcy, but she said that he wasn't invited.
Kristin: So, some strange guy wanted to get into the party, but no one knew him?
Mary Ann: Yeah, this one real weird guy. He was like really icky and he kept sneaking around trying to get in to the party.
Kristin: Ew, I hate it when people try to get in that aren't invited. Party crashers suck.
Mary Ann: Yeah, right? So, I asked Marcy, "Who's that guy?" and she said that he was a pain in the butt, said he was intre...intre...inch...
Kristin: Intr...
Mary Ann: Inch, intr...
Kristin: Intricate?
Mary Ann: Nah. Intr...inchuhra...
Kristin: Intravenous?
Mary Ann: Nah...
Kristin: Intricate?
Mary Ann: Nah. I think you already said that one...
Kristin: Uh...
Mary Ann: Anyway, sounded like he was sick or cursed.
Kristin: Ok. So, what happened?
Mary Ann: Oh well, he just kept going around and like wanting to talk to people. But, you know what was really weird? Even though he wanted to get into the party, he didn't even want to talk to anyone in the party. He just like wanted to talk to the politickers and he kept writing stuff down. Like who brings a notepad to a party?!
Kristin: I know, right? Not me.
Mary Ann: Me neither. Anyway, I wish I had brought one or a tape recorder to get everything that was happening.
Kristin: Yeah, that sucks.
Mary Ann: Yeah, but not really because Marcy was on the cell phone a lot and when at the end of the day, she told me that I wouldn't have to worry about it too much, that Mr. N. was updated.
Kristin: Hmm, how?
Mary Ann: Well, duh know, but when I got home that night, I got an email from Mr. N. with what I should put.
Kristin: Woah, that sounds really easy.
Mary Ann: Yeah, and it was really fun to just go there and hang out and make fun of the weirdo. Everyone was laughing and making fun of him. It was like that scene in Carrie where everyone laughs at her and she goes crazy. He didn't seem to hear us though. He seemed really busy with his notepad. Anyway, that will teach that loser not to do it again.
I don't know what he was thinking trying to get into our party.
It would be nice if this would be recommended so that Mr. Sirota could read it and see how much we care and we've got his back.
As long as we have childish attack pieces from fake journalists putting real journalists on the defensive, or pumping up false outrage over false controversies, let them know that we will take their audacity further. One day, they may look back at their drivel as youthful indiscretions ultimately justified for the good of their reactionary agendas, while today, we won't be needing 20/20 hindsight. We will be challenging them for their accreditations. And not one of them shall be able to take any one down again like they did to Al Gore, Howard Dean, and John Kerry.
And, Al? You too. We got your back too.
Thank God for David Sirota and Al Franken and may we have a splendid victory for Al in 2008 and may David's Progressive States Network be all 50 and the Commonwealths!