I was enjoying an uncharacteristically smooth commute this morning on the Southern State Parkway on Long Island. It turns out that it's spring break for a lot of schools. Yay for me!
Then it was interrupted by one of the most ridonkulous, inconceivably hypocritical things I have ever heard. And my day, at about 7:50 AM, was already ruined.
NPR's Morning Edition was covering statements made by Sen. Barack Obama and a response made by Sen. Hillary Clinton. Those statements:
Obama: "You have a real choice in this election. Either Democrat would be better than John McCain. And all three of us would be better than George Bush."
Clinton: "We need a nominee who will take on John McCain, not cheer on John McCain."
Oh, my freaking god, are you f*cking kidding me, Sen. Clinton?
Now, I have actually been on a political primary coverage hiatus because I felt that the rhetoric and the general existence of the media was getting way out of hand -- nitpicky, nasty, trivial, completely counterintuitive. I was writing this all off as part of the typical bloodsport that is politics, of which I'd been as enthusiastic as any sports super-fan. But at some point a couple of weeks ago, many weeks post-NY primary and already knowing for whom I'd be casting my vote, I gave the hell up on heavy duty political coverage. I can't not follow the news and the campaign, and they certainly won't be ignored, Daniel, but I just can't anymore.
And Clinton's most recent idiot comment just convinced me that I should stick a piece of rawhide in my PT Cruiser's cup-holder for my daily dose of Morning Edition.
How in the name of Santa Claus does she think she's getting away with this? Because just last month, she was thinking Sen. John McCain was more qualified to be president than another Democrat:
"I think that since we now know Sen. (John) McCain will be the nominee for the Republican Party, national security will be front and center in this election. We all know that. And I think it's imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander-in-chief threshold...I believe that I've done that. Certainly, Sen. McCain has done that and you'll have to ask Sen. Obama with respect to his candidacy."
Or this little gem:
"I have a lifetime of experience I will bring to the White House. I know Senator McCain [the presumptive Republican nominee] has a lifetime of experience he will bring to the White House. And Senator Obama has a speech he made in 2002."
Really? And yesterday it would have been absolutely stupid to think that John McCain couldn't be a better president. Wow. I think that blood vessel in my temple just got a little bit closer to bursting. Someone please, just wake me when it's over.