If there was one person who was more of an MVP (Most Valuable Player) last week than Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, and Chauncey Billups combined (and those are basketball players for those who don't know), it was the one and only Barbin MD.
Or better yet, the Most Valuable Poster.
No, this is not ass kissing (ok, it maybe is). And no, this is not playing favorites (I got love for everyone, and who at the Kos can't have appreciation and respect for our new overlord Meteor Blades). Still, we give Meteor so much love that he won't mind me giving the award to the "MD" one.
While Kos took a well deserved vacation, along with I think a few others (DemFromCT), BarbinMD was full at work analyzing and breaking in the stories of the week. Never over the top, always straight to the point, controlled but lethal when the time asks for it, Barbin held down the site like gravity holds us humans down (cheezy analogy intended)
Barbin started the week off analyzing Paul Begala's defense of Frank Luntz corrupt talking points against serious health care reform in this country, and added her own analysis:
Don't get me wrong; Begala has a lot of great points and suggestions. He just makes the mistake of going for speeches rather than countering short talking points with short but pointed rebuttals. Most of his best lines are when he is explaining the reasoning behind his suggested responses. He seems to have forgotten that pundits aren't given the time to orate, and even if they were, no one wants to hear it.
Begala says:
Do not let the Republicans kill reform by co-opting our message. When they repeat their talking points, you must punch holes in them.
And he's absolutely right. But we need to punch, not pontificate.
That in depth perspective set the stage for a week in great highlights from her.
She properly lambasted clueless democrats in the struggle to close Gitmo down
Of course the Republicans didn't do it all on their own. They did have an able assist from Senate Majority Leader Reid:
I’m saying that the United States Senate, Democrats and Republicans, do not want terrorists to be released in the United States. That’s very clear.
Two words: WAKE UP.
She, like many of us, knew that Sotomayor was going to be the likely pick ("Worst Kept Secret In Town To Be Revealed: Sotomayor Announcement"), pointed out to most here that it was the site's 7th birthday (something that even Kos hilariously forgot himself), provided arguably the Title of the Year (ChildTesticle Crushers Unite Against Sotomayor), and provided this hilarious video:
She showed Nevada Governor Gibbons stupid grudge with Obama, hammered the New York Times, and mocked the "titular head" of the GOP lovely.
She defended Sotomayor consistently:
The bottom line is, these charges of racism are pitiful projections by angry white men who know the battle against Sotomayor was lost before it began, but who have to continue pandering to their fans to remain relevant. And after all, someone has to do the heavy lifting for the political division of the Republican Party.
She somehow digested both Roland Burris' bulland the National Organization of Morons bigotry, and knew damn well the media wouldn't give Carl Levin the light of day:
Three words: Not gonna happen.
Barbin closed her clutch week off in style, laying into Robert Gibbs "poor" choice of words and lack of full knowledge of the future Supreme Court Judge comments in 2001 (hilarious indeed)
That's just great. Buy into a rightwing, false talking point and apologize for it. Right down to agreeing with a Fox News reporter that she said she would "come to a better conclusion."
Read the damn speech, Robert and get your facts straight.
And as for what you think she'd say? Let her say it and don't put words in her mouth. Better yet, don't put Rush Limbaugh's word in your mouth.
And slamming the pathetic Jeffrey Rosen-esque article written by Sharon Theimer on Sotomayor's life:
Theimer takes another paragraph to describe the ensuing complaint filed about the incident with words like, "confronted," and "rejected ... that he meant no harm," and "turned down his invitation" for another job interview, and did you know, the firm could have lost its right to recruit on campus! As I read, it occurred to me that Theimer used 54 words when it's clear that the one she was looking for was, "BITCH!"
Theimer tells us that Sotomayor didn't live her entire childhood in South Bronx housing project -- they moved to one in the Northeast Bronx when she was 15 or 16 -- but forget all that because now she's rich! She makes more than $200,000. And she owns a condo in part of New York City where there are "million-dollar-plus homes" somewhere within 50+ blocks. Oh, and her brother might hate the poor and the elderly.
Once again, everyone on the site did their thing. But BarbinMD was just so immense.
Then again, she always is IMMENSE around these parks (I mean, she's on the front page, so Duh to myself).
So while sports leagues give their awards (or have Nike help in the deliberation, just kidding), I'll give Barbin MD one as well.
(From The Whole Delivery, good night)