My first diary, let's see how this goes. (And no, the title does not refer to that piece of corporate media genius that blesses us with Gossip Girl, rather to the other CW: the conventional wisdom.)
For starters, I'm doing a summer internship in Spain at the US Consulate in Barcelona. As the world salivates over the endless drama-fest that is an American campaign (two years, really, we need that long?), the foreign press jumps at any information that may shed light on this mysterious quadrennial rite. Thus, at 5:00 this evening I found myself listening to John Mercurio of the National Journal's Hotline speak to representatives from Spain's media via video-conference, dipping into that fount of nonsense that is the conventional wisdom. Some of his greatest hits and opportunities for reader involvement (because I love you) below the fold.
- Al Gore will save the world, or at least Obama's world, as his running mate. Mercurio went on and on about how Gore is Barack's golden ticket and a Obama-Gore ticker will be a shoo-in. Now being the latte-drinking, same-sex-loving, carbon-scrubbing, race-transcending liberal that I am, just the thought of Obama-Gore makes me org-, well, we won't go there. But the point is that I just don't see it. Gore was not that popular as a politician and he doesn't seem to want the job, so why does Mercurio keep pushing it? And he pushed it. Hard.
- Coming back to the Kos-ventional wisdom, which is that the MSM wants/needs/will turn into flesh-eating zombies if they don't have a close race. Mercurio said 'it's hard to pick a front-runner. Really John? Because a consistent (albeit not large) lead in polls, a toxic environment for Republicans, and all the other stuff that makes us jittery with glee would normally confirm Obama as a front-runner. I know we have a lot of work to do, and maybe front-runner status would hurt more than help, but Mercurio bordered on intellectual dishonesty by insinuating to the reporters that this is a two-man race rather than an 'either Obama wins or he loses' race.
- My final thought/gripe, and the one I really want your input on. Mercurio said something I haven't read or heard anywhere (and I read a lot.) According to what McCain's people tell him, Mercurio told us that McBush was going "to make a serious play for California" by promising to give Arnold "I'm-really-a-Democrat-but-the-primary-field-was-too-crowded" Schwarzenegger a top cabinet gig. My first reaction was to laugh hysterically, but that might have gotten me fired. But after thinking about it, I grew worried that maybe lime-jello was onto something. So what do you think (Poll attached)?
And in general, Mercurio harped on about the usual. McCain wants a conservative governor with economics cred (Tim Pawlenty, Charlie Crist) and he has a problem with evangelicals. If the Dems stay divided, Obama loses. And, if we're talking about Obama's race as a problem for white voters in November, we lose.
So what are your thoughts fellow Kossacks? What piece of CW drives you absolutely insane?