MyDD :: Fineman: McCain=War Hero, Obama=Untrustworthy Elitist

Fineman: McCain=War Hero, Obama=Untrustworthy Elitist

by CooperCraigM, Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 02:28:09 PM EST

The mainstream media has been inadequate, inept, and at times, downright awful in their coverage of this election, so I guess this shouldn't have come as such a huge shock to me, but it did...

I clicked on Howard Fineman's recent "analysis" piece on MSNBC, "McCain's last chance, or a chance to shine?" interested in reading his take on the upcoming debate between the two presidential candidates. I was reading along trying to work my way through the fluff to something that would resemble a logical, intellectual political analysis. About half way in, my jaw hit the floor.

McCain is like that trick birthday candle: you keep blowing it out but it keeps springing back to life.

I think I know the reason why this is so. There is something about what McCain represents -- a soldier willing to die for his country.

Voters are understandably reluctant to be seen as rejecting that ideal, or treating it with disrespect, especially in the eyes of a doubting world.

Obama is another reason why McCain cannot be counted out, no matter what the tracking polls and Electoral College summaries are saying. There remains something about the senator from Illinois -- the big-city, Ivy League, I-know-what's-good-for-you smoothie -- that makes many swing voters reluctant to accept him, even if you edit race out of the equation, which of course, you cannot.

I simply having a hard time digesting this ridiculous, pathetic excuse for political analysis. In the lackluster and often horrendously ineffectual coverage of this campaign, much of what spews forth from Beltway insiders seems rather unexceptional. But this shamefully unfair framing of the two candidates brings a whole new meaning to "Swinging on the Tire."

Well, I for one, decided to email my Mr. Fineman and share with him my thoughts.

My email, below the fold...

Mr. Fineman --

In your recent MSNBC analysis, "McCain's last chance, or a chance to shine?" you had the following to say:

"There remains something about the senator from Illinois -- the big-city, Ivy League, I-know-what's-good-for-you smoothie -- that makes many swing voters reluctant to accept him, even if you edit race out of the equation, which of course, you cannot."

My, God... It's amazing you still have a job. You tout the McCain camp's talking points of Obama as some elitist, black, big-city liberal (you might as well have just called him "uppity" and gotten it over with), and paint McCain as "a soldier willing to die for his country."

I usually respect your analysis, but this is just pathetic and sad. You should apologize for your utter lack of journalistic responsibility.

Sincerely,
Craig Cooper

Feel free to share you response to his "analysis" by emailing him at livingpolitics@aol.com .

Tags: Barack Obama, John McCain, Howard Fineman, MSM (all tags)

Permalink :: 19 Comments :: Post a Comment

He's hedging his bet.... (2.00 / 1)

I have seen him on Keith lately, he is usually pretty lucid and not trying to do too much 'fair and balanced' stuff.

I think, for the magazine, he has to seem more unbaised.

Think about it. He got mail from you, what if he wrote

"McCain is the dying throes of a failed campaign, all he has left is to portray Obama as the big-city, Ivy League, I-know-what's-good-for-you smoothie

He would be PUMMELLED with mail from the right, and those people are typically way nastier then we are....

On Nov 4th, Barack Obama officially ends the Southern Strategy....

by WashStateBlue on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 02:36:27 PM EST

Re: My Email to Howard Fineman... (none / 0)

I suppose, but if you read his article, there is really nothing "unbiased" or "fair and balanced" about it. He calls McCain a war-hero, and Obama a "big-city, Ivy League, I-know-what's-good-for-you smoothie." I'm not sure how that even remotely provides any semblance of balance to an article that is all about "not counting out the 'maverick.'"

by CooperCraigM on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 02:47:17 PM EST

Re: My Email to Howard Fineman... (2.00 / 1)

Obama a "big-city, Ivy League, I-know-what's-good-for-you smoothie."

LOL, after what Palin, McCain and their angry mob is calling him, Obama would probably take that in a NY Minute!

And, right now, after 8 years of the "Cowboy drawling-dumb as a box of hammers-guy you want to have a beer with" driving the car into the ditch, maybe Big City Ivy League is not as bad a moniker as we think?

On Nov 4th, Barack Obama officially ends the Southern Strategy....

by WashStateBlue on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 02:51:38 PM EST

Fineman = sexist, obnoxious, neocon lover (2.00 / 1)

Ask any Hillary Clinton supporters. His hatred for her showed up early on. I predicted he would turn on Obama too and he did....

by Jjc2008 on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 02:55:21 PM EST

As a former Hillary supporter... (none / 0)

I don't see it (turning on Obama.) I don't think he wants to be pegged as another Olbermann; nothing more. It's a "fair and balance" thing or at least an attempt to come off that way.

by soyousay on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 03:22:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I see it my way (none / 0)

Obama better kiss up to Fineman....or he goes after you.

by Jjc2008 on Fri Oct 10, 2008 at 01:59:57 PM EST
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incognito (none / 0)

Fineman is in the tank for Obama; he has to conceal it to some degree, otherwise he'll look just like Olbermann and that's just crazy.

by soyousay on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 03:18:18 PM EST

the irony is that in america (2.00 / 1)

african americans are told to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, get an education and become successful on their own. then when they go ahead and do that, they are labeled uppity/arrogant and unqualified.

by highgrade on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 03:56:19 PM EST

Here's the thing that irks me (2.00 / 1)

It's not that the frame is unfavorable to Obama. It's that the frame is completely contradicted by the reported facts. Obama has hit near-blowout poll numbers and "many swing voters {are} reluctant to accept him"? That doesn't even make sense. It implies that he's need to be up 20 in the polls to prove swing voters accept him.

By that token, do swing voters accept McCain, who is getting blown out?

It's an illogical analysis.

by Neef on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 05:50:58 PM EST

Re: Here's the thing that irks me (2.00 / 1)

in the current climate with bush's unpopularity, the war fiasco, the economic meltdown obama should be up far more than a few percentage points..

you know this is true! the reason he is not is because mccain is looked at as a war hero/maverick and many still don't trust obama

thats all fineman is saying.. i think he's right

obama may seal the deal tonight.. he has yet to do so... the race remains fluid in my opinion.

i say this as a huge supporter of obama

its silly for us to start yelling WE WON BLOWOUT

by obama4presidente on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 06:44:59 PM EST
[ Parent ]

more than a few points? (none / 0)

Have you LOOKED at an electoral map lately? Obama is getting 370+ blowouts.

Where are these 500+ EV expectations coming from? It's not that I don't agree Obama should be crushing. It's that don't understand how you can say he's not.

by Neef on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 06:52:01 PM EST
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Re: more than a few points? (none / 0)

So you want to celebrate?

Just because he's up a few points in "battleground" states does not mean it can't change back .. there's still almost 30 days to go! do not count your eggs my friend.....

all it takes is a change of opinion of 5 out of every 100 voters for this to be tied.. and lets not even factor a potential bradley effect taking away 2/3% in some areas (eastern ohio/virgnia/north carolina)

you want to celebrate too soon...

by obama4presidente on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 06:57:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: more than a few points? (none / 0)

I'll be glad to celebrate with you on election night but dont make the mistake of thinking this is over.. when Obama is up 20% in the national tracking polls.. or if he's up 6% the day before the election.. THEN its over..

right now it is not over.

by obama4presidente on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 06:59:34 PM EST
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Of course it's not over (none / 0)

that doesn't mean swing voters think he's scary, which is what Fineman says.

by Neef on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 07:09:22 PM EST
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Re: Of course it's not over (none / 0)

Now you're really being silly.. Fineman did not say "voters think he's scary" .. this is what he said:
there remains something about the senator from Illinois -- the big-city, Ivy League, I-know-what's-good-for-you smoothie -- that makes many swing voters reluctant to accept him, even if you edit race out of the equation, which of course, you cannot.

my comment: please lets not argue for the sake of arguing.. i'm not that bored... i happen to think fineman is correct... i've met some people who are in fact scared of obama...they are out there and sealing the deal with them is the key for making sure this election is over...fineman wasn't saying
that he agrees with people who think this way..but they are out there.. i agree with it. you don't? great no worries.

by obama4presidente on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 07:24:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Of course it's not over (none / 0)

Look we're on the same side you and I.

Just saying I think Fineman really wants Obama to win. Maybe a word or two or a phrase in this piece wasn't ideal but he's far from the worse!

by obama4presidente on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 07:31:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Fineman: McCain=War Hero, Obama=Untrustworthy (2.00 / 1)

I don't think you're reading it correctly.. he is not saying obama is untrustworthy.. just that some people find him so..

i think fineman really wants obama to win.... i say this based on having seen a few clips of him talking to talking points memo during the RNC and seeing him on the presidential post debate analysis

there are far better targets for your ire

by obama4presidente on Tue Oct 07, 2008 at 06:42:52 PM EST

Re: Fineman: McCain=War Hero, Obama=Untrustworthy (none / 0)

I appreciate your perspective, and it's not that I think Fineman is the devil or anything, I just think this was a really crappy piece and a poor excuse for political analysis. It was framed poorly, it was unsubstantiated, and it just wasn't reflective of reality. I think it was a disservice to Fineman's reputation and his profession, and I call it like I see it.

I agree this isn't the worst we've seen this election cycle by far, but it's still not acceptable, and is certainly not worthy of the main page story on MSNBC's website.

by CooperCraigM on Wed Oct 08, 2008 at 05:06:07 PM EST
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