David Broder, idiotic dramatist

By Michael J.W. Stickings

For someone who's been around politics for so long, David Broder sure spews opinions like he's completely wet behind the ears. He has a reputation for the sort of wisdom that comes with age, with being around for so long, and he writes and talks with the confidence of cushy authority, Beltway-style, but he's as much a look-at-me sensationalizer as anyone else in the media. The title of his latest piece of melodramatic banality says it all: "The Democrats' Worst Nightmare."

Yes, says the Dean, he ongoing nomination battle between Obama and Hillary is our worst nightmare.

Really? Come on. Our worst nightmare?

Seriously.

I can think of many things that would be worse nightmares than the Obama-Hillary race. How about a third Bush term? Or a GOP takeover of Congress -- 1994 all over again?

But, no, Broder has a job to do, and that's to use his pontificational platform at the Post to blow way out of proportion what has been a competitive and much-less-nasty-than-most-people-think nomination race.

Which is not to say that his entire analysis is wrong. He makes some good points. And it's true that McCain is benefitting from the Obama-Hillary race. Indeed, for the sake of the party, for the sake of the general election, the race needs to end sooner rather than later. (And Reid and Pelosi may indeed have to intervene.)

But are Democrats actually "praying for this divisive primary campaign to end"? No. And Broder tips his hand when he praises McCain as "the rare exception who is not assumed to be willing to sacrifice personal credibility to prevail in any contest."

Et tu, Broder? Of course. The media love McCain, and Broder is no exception. Apparently, while Obama and Hillary are tearing each other apart, and Democrats are tearing their hair out, McCain is wallowing in perfection, unable to do wrong.

So says David Broder, and he's on Meet the Press a lot, so he must know what he's talking about.

Idiot.