There is a pattern emerging among these articles. The op-eds tend to be individual testimonies or analyses written by seasoned journalists, political scholars of some stripe, folks with inside experience on their resumés, i.e. pundits of some sort. Let me call those Type 1. Type 2 often has no individual byline, consists of a review of opinions circulating in the current electrically charged air, and appears to be straightforward reportage.
This Type 1 from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch was penned by Bill McClellan, a seasoned journalist with a look reminiscent of Hemingway and a liking for Kerouac. It takes a big man to admit he was wrong.
I should have picked Hillary over Obama
BILL McCLELLAN • bmcclellan@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8143 | Posted: Wednesday, August 10, 2011
... What about all that change we were going to get?
It's too easy to blame Republicans. Yes, they have blocked Obama at every turn, but that is the way of things in politics.
Frankly, there is nothing sinister with it. Conservatives and liberals have different visions. Of course one side is going to try to block the other. The blame, I think, lies with Obama. He is not strong enough to be an effective president.
Another article, appearing in Periscope, represents an overview of op-eds and sundry articles on the subject that have appeared elsewhere, are used to argue a variety of positions by a variety of players, and stands pretty much as reportage with the proviso that sequencing can be as powerful as the content itself. The sequencing of the information feed here spins this opus toward Obama. A little cutting, pasting, and re-sequencing could lean the message in HRC's direction - apparently not Periscope's intent.
There is a reference to a Jezebel article to which I will not link. You can access it though the Periscope link if you wish to. I found it simple, distasteful name calling rather than any kind of journalism and not worth a link from here.
Democrats turn on President Obama, look to Hillary Clinton
US President Barack Obama faces criticism from his own party – and suggestions Hillary Clinton would have done a better job as president. What are his chances of re-election?
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Photo credit: sskennel, http://flic.kr/p/4ZgZFGIs Barack Obama’s re-election campaign over before it has even begun? The debt ceiling wrangling appears to have damaged the US president’s reputation, with some commentators arguing that the resulting deal was a win for the Republicans. There are suggestions that Democrats now doubt Obama’s ability to win the 2012 presidential election – and that some wish they’d opted for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton instead.
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As usual! I waited all day, with this in draft form, to post it, and as soon as I did, two of the usual occurrences: tech problems (so my preferred final draft was not what posted), and an new article popped up. Now, I would hold onto this for a later post, but it is my old friend D.K. of The Examiner ringing in, so I simply must tack on his take on this issue. (Oh - he's a Type 1.)
D.K. Jamaal
Post-Partisan ExaminerAugust 3, 2011The free fall of the extremist driven debt ceiling crisis and the resulting egregious agreement that followed it has after three years of weak leadership left President Obama severely wounded with doubts rising as to his ability to now win the 2012 presidential election.
It is time for Democrats to take bold action and put forth Hillary Clinton as their candidate in 2012.
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