Washington's Scooter Obsession
I follow national politics less than I do Wisconsin politics, if only because of the nature of my job. And seriously, one can only take so much.
Furthermore, I am one of the 99% of Americans who have completely tuned out the whole Scooter Libby story. Sure, Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame are self-aggrandizing dirtbags, and Libby probably got a raw deal - but who really cares at this point?
That's why I watched in horror yesterday, as the panelists on "Meet the Press" spent a big chunk of the show discussing the "Libby pardon" controversy. As if anyone outside the beltline even cares. This is so typical of the Capitol Hill press - this story is a big deal to everyone they talk to, so people must care around the country, right?
Much talk was bandied about the table regarding what effect a pardon would have on "the base" of the Republican party. Seriously, who are these members of "the base" who are waiting breathlessly at home to make their decision on whether to support George Bush based on whether he pardons Scooter Libby? Are the hard core Republicans really going to vote for Barack Obama if Libby does hard time?
Honestly, this just shows how completely out of touch those in D.C. are. The bunny rabbit in my yard that continues to eat my shrubs has more to do with my daily life than both the Libby and Alberto Gonzalez "controversies" combined. If a meteor flew in from space and landed on Scooter Libby, it wouldn't make any difference in the life of any American. Is there really that little to talk about?
Furthermore, I am one of the 99% of Americans who have completely tuned out the whole Scooter Libby story. Sure, Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame are self-aggrandizing dirtbags, and Libby probably got a raw deal - but who really cares at this point?
That's why I watched in horror yesterday, as the panelists on "Meet the Press" spent a big chunk of the show discussing the "Libby pardon" controversy. As if anyone outside the beltline even cares. This is so typical of the Capitol Hill press - this story is a big deal to everyone they talk to, so people must care around the country, right?
Much talk was bandied about the table regarding what effect a pardon would have on "the base" of the Republican party. Seriously, who are these members of "the base" who are waiting breathlessly at home to make their decision on whether to support George Bush based on whether he pardons Scooter Libby? Are the hard core Republicans really going to vote for Barack Obama if Libby does hard time?
Honestly, this just shows how completely out of touch those in D.C. are. The bunny rabbit in my yard that continues to eat my shrubs has more to do with my daily life than both the Libby and Alberto Gonzalez "controversies" combined. If a meteor flew in from space and landed on Scooter Libby, it wouldn't make any difference in the life of any American. Is there really that little to talk about?