Trib Columnist Compares Obama Blago Reaction To Bush On 9/11

In the wake of the Blagojevich scandal, plenty of media types have worked hard to whip up a seamy role for President-elect Barack Obama to have played in the matter. Matt Yglesias describes the new rules of engagement, which are the old rules of engagement: a standard-free stream of hot air that needs no evidence or original reporting to survive. But as bad as it's been, nothing quite exceeds the ridiculously hyperbolic false equivalence drawn by Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman.

See, Steve Chapman is really chafed at the adjectives used by Obama to describe the Blago scandal. When he first reacted to the news, remember, Obama said he was "saddened," which was not good enough to satisfy the pseudopsychological semanticists that skulk in the same trails as legitimate reporters. No, no: "saddened" just wasn't going to cut it. Two days later, Obama told a reporter, "I was appalled and disappointed by what we heard in those transcripts." And in this perceived two-day delay between "saddened" and "appalled" is where Chapman gets the grist for his idiot mill.

The reaction from fellow Illinois Democrats was swift and severe. Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn demanded that the governor step aside. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin urged the legislature to call a special election to fill the Senate seat. Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan proposed to ask the Supreme Court to temporarily disqualify the governor from carrying out his duties (and later did it).

But Obama had a "My Pet Goat" moment, freezing up in the face of the shock. "I don't think it would be appropriate for me to comment on the issue at this time," he said. "It's a sad day for Illinois." You'd have thought the Bears had failed to make the playoffs.

Leaving aside the fact that the "swift, severe" responses from all named above are bloodless and procedural responses, is it anywhere within the realm of reason to call Obama's reaction a "My Pet Goat moment?" I'll remind you that this references the time President George W. Bush went back to reading a children's story after learning that the nation was under an unfolding terrorist attack. Must anyone entertain a writer who believes this tawdry Blagojevich matter rises to the level of 9/11?

I'm sure I'll feel like a real jerk, criticizing Chapman, when he reveals to me the smoldering hole in Chicago filled with a thousand corpses.

Comments

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Wow, that Mr. Chapman.

Keeping your nose out of a criminal investigation (that your name will likely come up in) vs. keeping your nose in My Pet Goat (that might not survive the potentially NEXT plane hit).

Brilliant.

-- a New Yorker who can't tell the difference between a goat and a Chicago columnist

[1dogs2]

With all the recent layoffs at the Trib, how did they overlook this turkey?

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Isn't that Palin interview backdrop device available?

[Stephen C. Rose - Huffpost Blogger]

Here's an update on this mess:

http://stephencrose.wordpress.com/2008/12/16/recap-post-blago-and-colin-powell/

[DS3M]

Way to be crass with your hole in the ground and flaming bodies.

[JZ735]

The Trib and some Chicago media never had "Saint" added to Obama's name...they saw through his game ages ago...would that you, Linkins, and the 53% who elected him had the insight of the Trib and many other savvy Chicago media...they KNOW HIM. You and many here don't.

[Gitmo]

....and by the way, I live in Chicago and I know for a fact that you're lying through your teeth.

[writerjohnny]

Yea you can always count on the "Trib" for seeing through the games. They endorsed Ryan for Govenor of Illinois(he's in prison), they endorsed the original Daley for mayor MANY times and they endorsed G.W. Bush for president twice. With any luck the "Trib" won't even be in business next year. Oh yea, and the "Trib" endorsed Blago. Go figure.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

This sort a ' simpleton failed logic' by your Chicago Media is literally... 'out of this world'!
They supposedly KNOW HIM (the media) ....and yet the corrupt Governor Blago who is the central figure in the middle of this whole illegal scandal still didn't know him well enough...?

The 'corrupt Guy' didn't even recognize that all he would get from Obama was... 'appreciation'.
Are you saying that "Your" Media knows MORE about corruption than the 'corrupt Guy"...himself?
If THAT is the case... maybe your newspaper should give Blago a job working for You?
If You read your paper... he needs a 'new' Job.

[HC4BO]

Blago is NOT GUILTY yet ....

Obama does NOT shoot from the hip ...

That is how he won the Presidency ...

We need someone who examines ALL FACTS before passing judgment ...

[2008CaliforniaFan]

Chapman's next assignment could also be a Book interview with his 'Joe the Plumber'

Ask him why he was now trying to put a 'beat-down' on 'The Old Guy'...?

[loki]

how can you compare the exposure of another crooked politician to 911? You have to have a very low IQ to even consider they could be compared.

[DS3M]

I think its the face they made. Tho the fact that Bush's face matched Obama's, only Bush had just found out we were "Under Attack." Not the unsurprising info that G-Rod was a dirtbag whose time would soon come one way or another.

That's the issue. The future president's IQ vs that of the Current one.

[Mahi Joe]

And the Tribune wonders why it is going bankrupt? Reporting like this for the tabloids that you read while in line at the grocery store not for a paper that pretends to be a legitimate news source. Adios Tribune.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

Chapman's Problem..?
Rush could give him a few of his little Blue-Oxys and Chapman would feel better about Himself..... maybe?
Follow the lead of your Leader.

[brigadere]

This just goes to show that all media outlets seem to believe that the world should move on their timetable. I don't blame Obama one bit for trying to gather the facts before rushing to judgement. And how dare this scum-bag compare this incident to 911. It is an absolute disservice to everyone who lives were impacted by 911.

[JZ735]

Obama isn't gathering anything...Fitz told him to ease off...first of all, Obama will not control a Federal investigat­ion...some­thing he better learn FAST.

[1differentdrummer]

Why the negative bleat? Is that the best you can do?

[nellie]

May the major networks and cable news channels bloviate themselves into eternal obsolescence.

[pixy242a]

The MSM think that by taking Obama to task, for anything even tangentially connected to him, they will 'balance' the lack of oversight of the Bush term. Ugh.

[JZ735]

The MSM HAVE AN OBLIGATION to question Obama...they blew it with Bush and during the primaries...the party's over...for good.

[jham710]

Yes the media has an obligation to question all of those running our country, but he answered the question, the Prosecutor even said the President-Elect had nothing to do with the Gov. So, I don't see why the Tribune writer is grasping at nothing. And insulting those who were murdered on Sept. 11, 2001 - equating that attack with the news of a corrupt politician is lazy reporting at best.

[fernandez86]

there is no way that this can be compared to 9/11!!! 4,000 people did not die as they did on 9/11. How stupid are you? The media wants to continue to beat this horse and the American people don't give a damn about this! They want answers to the economic crisis, not this nonsense! Why aren't you trying to find out about Mr. Madoff and how he duped so many people. If I were President, you wouldn't like me very much, because I would tell the media to go to hell! You guys are the worst and you're mad because Obama doesn't move when the media thinks he should!! I hope he continue to make all of you mad, because most of you are idiots

[inluvwkeitholbermann]

BLEEP that mother-BLEEP-ing writer from the trib!!!


btw: how's business, BLEEP-hoIe?!?

[parise]

progresso8 poit well taken.

[PSTEN]

Crack ars bull $het!