In their book "free ride," David Brock and Paul Waldman spell out how the media, while downplaying critical stories, and applying differing standards, has given John McCain a relatively free ride on many issues that otherwise require far more illumination and examination.  

This trend of skewed coverage and factually off base, pro McCain commentary, is so prevalent in the media that oftentimes, even so called "media liberals" partake of it.  

I challenge anyone who thinks David  Broder (of the Broder Bump fame) is a hack  to produce a dumber column than the one Bill Kristol wrote on July 15 2007  with the title

Why Bush Will Be A Winner

and the prediction

George W. Bush's presidency will probably be a successful one.

What makes Obama tick? This seems to be the most pressing question of the day because, as David Broder insists we "don't elect enigmas to the oval office."

The challenge is that Obama is unique in American politics. He's trying to pull off something that doesn't fit preexisting models, and all the political experts out there (of which there's no shortage), who take great pride in knowing "the rules" of politics, are determined to explain Obama in the facile language of an old paradigm. Now that his shine has worn a little thin, now that we've grown accustomed to the idea of this "new kind of politician" who seemed to come out of nowhere, the debate has devolved into overly simplistic dichotomies like whether or not Obama is centrist or Machiavellian. There's far too little appetite for actually trying to better understand the guy on his own terms.

Warren Christopher has denied that he was the pushover portrayed by "Recount", but we now have our proof that he's a fool for Bushist flim-flam.  He has signed on with James Baker, who strong-armed him before, to replace the War Powers Act with the War Powers Consultation Act, which would further emasculate Congress:

When we last saw our courageous Republican Superfriends, they were reeling from even further setbacks in their struggle to keep 'Merica from the terrorist tentacles of the shadowy Dr. Baracko! But fear not, faithful reader, for the feckless Democratic Leadership would yet again offer a helping hand to the Republican Superfriends in their moment of dire need!

David Broder, today, in the Washington Post:

McCain benefits from a long-established reputation as a man who says what he believes. His shifts in position that have occurred in this campaign seem not to have damaged that aura.

Hmmm. I wonder why.  Could it have anything to do with the way that the media covers McCain, as well as the way they "cover" his almost constant flip flops and statements of belief that directly contradict his earlier statements of belief?

The Washington Post ombudsman today takes David Broder to task for accepting speaking fees from industry and "special interest groups."  Ken Silverstein at Harper's, who first brought Broder's moonlighting to, uh, light, today comments on the amazing and pathetic amount of flat lying Broder did in the face of the revelations.

Also today, David Broder's new column is about . . .

(Now, wait for it.)

. . . the distrust Obama will engender in Americans for taking money from small internet donors.  

Ohmygodthisisgoingtobesomuchfun!

Like most Villagers wishing to supplement their income, David Broder has taken tens of thousands of dollars, if not much more, in speaking fees from corporate groups and organizations.  As Ken Silverstein at Harper's thoroughly documented, lots of these events were for groups that lobby Congress, like the National Association of Manufacturers' annual meeting and  a fundraiser for a PAC for the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors.  There are plenty more at the link.  

This is part of the Village merry go-round, but Dean Broder has a history of tut-tutting at those journalists who collect substantial fees from industry.  He actually said this: (over)

In the midst of some boilerplate crap about Tim Russert (he faced down mean 'ol Ross Perot!) we get a true Inside-the-Beltway gem. I honestly thought this was a joke:

But as soon as the camera lights went off at 10 a.m. on Sunday, he relaxed. Ali, the NBC butler, brought out the platters of shrimp and glasses of juice, and the reporters who had been on the roundtable (and sometimes the last interviewee) would join Tim and executive producer Betsy Fischer for a lengthy exchange of political gossip. When a birthday or anniversary was imminent, there would be cake. And at Christmas, a brass ensemble would play carols.

Washington Post columnist David Broder, often referred to as the "dean" of the D.C. press corps, is a regular source of irritation and exasperation here, as he routinely dresses up Republican talking points as "centrist" conventional wisdom.

But now an investigation by Harper's Magazine online columnist Ken Silverstein reveals that "Dean" Broder has been reaping lecture fees and enjoying fancy junkets from corporate and lobbying interests -- without revealing these conflicts of interest to his readers:

[Broder] appears to be a regular presence these days on the business lecture circuit, and has even spoken to major health care groups. Do a Google search and you’ll see that Broder is represented by a number of speaker’s bureaus, including Grabow, which says it is “your David Broder booking agent for private corporate events.”

More on Broder's hidden conflicts -- and his hypocritical public stance on journalists receiving such perks -- after the jump...

I've been wearing an "impeach Bush" button since just after the 2004 election.  Personally, I believe we need to impeach the whole Bush/Cheney Junta, turn them over to an international criminal court, and establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission between the peoples of Iraq and the United States of America.  And that's only the beginning of what we have to do to redeem our national reputation and collective souls.

Lately, the comments I've been getting are that it's too late and it wouldn't matter so close to the end of their term.  I respond by saying, "What makes you think they're ever going to leave?"

Today, reading Glenn Greenwald on David Broder, I realized that there may be another way.  Broder and many others demanded that Bill Clinton resign over the Lewinsky affair.  Why is there no demand that the Bush/Cheney Junta resign?

How do we make the Bush/Cheney Junta resign?  Would a public hue and cry to that purpose be useful?  

I think it would.  How do we force the Bush/Cheney Junta to resign?  

Maybe I'm gonna change the legend on my button.

By his own definition of the term, McSame is one heck of an appeaser.
Full Lineup and other goodies below...

I see that several Kossacks have noted that David Broder, the official fossil of print journalism, is accepting a "buy-out" and leaving his privileged position at WaPo. It's about freakin' time, given how utterly clueless Broder has become. His latest brain dropping in the Post demonstrates that Broder should warm up that rocking chair on the porch and retire from active "journalism". His brain is stuck in 1960. News flash, Dave: That was 48 years ago.
Follow me.

David Broder has accepted a buyout from the Washington Post.  Before you think he will retire with dignity and allow thoughtful, reasoned political commentary to prevail once more, note: he will remain as a contract employee.

h/t Huffington Post and the Politico;

Veteran Washington Post political columnist David Broder is going to take a buyout from the paper. As of Jan 1, 2009, he will become a contract employee of the Post.

The tide must really be turning against Hillary among the DC punditocracy if even David Broder agrees that it's time for the uncommitted superdelegates to get behind Obama and end the seemingly endless Democratic primary fight.  In his column today, Broder offers some insights into why so may superdelegates -- U.S. senators in particular -- have not yet endorsed a candidate, and he outlines the price that Obama -- and the Democratic party -- is paying for every day Hillary vows to fight on even though she can't win the nomination.  I guess pigs are flying, because Broder makes a lot of points I agree with today.

I know it's de rigeur to laugh at David Broder, but his column yesterday may deserve some attentiion. Obama supporters,  I think you're about to be had.

The column which appeared in yesterday's Tallahassee Democrat (those of you who live in a real city may have seen this days ago--apologies if I'm rehashing old news) is titled
Who can save the Democratic Party?
I topic which I'm sure gives Dave many sleepless nights; without the DP, who could he concern troll?

The column is a "frank" interview with an unnamed Clinton staffer.

Over the hump to find the Easter Eggs...

via mal contends
Update: John McCain: "My friends, I will have an energy policy which will eliminate our dependence on oil from Middle East that will then prevent us from having ever to send our young men and women into conflict again in the Middle East." Said Chris Mattews: ""You know, if somebody else were to say that, they would be accused of being a communist, or radical, or a leftist...for John McCain, a war hero, to say that we’re fighting in the Middle East to protect our oil sources is an astounding development."