Matt Yglesias

28 Responses to “Awkward Turtle”

1. John Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 11:25 am

   The underlying supposition of this coverage seems to be that there’s some kind of shortfall of noteworthy substantive issues related to the conduct of US foreign policy that we could speculate about. And that’s nuts.

   I think the underlying supposition being made by the networks is that the American people are idiots, and prefer stupid news coverage to good news coverage. It is not clear that they are wrong.

2. Jim Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 11:27 am

   Richard Lugar makes me sleepy.

3. right Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 11:30 am

   I liked the angle Kerry took in his intro, joking about how he, Clinton, Dodd, and Lugar were all wanna-be Obamas (or even Bidens).

4. joe from Lowell Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 11:33 am

   It’s daytime TV, which will be watched by people who watch daytime TV.

   So the daytime TV people set it up like a soap opera.

5. Rob Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 11:38 am

   Lets be honest, this way the people covering the event don’t even have to pretend to understand whats going on in the world. It makes the press’s job much easier and thats what really matters.

6. phoebes in santa fe Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 11:38 am

   I wonder if Kerry was “passed over” for SoS because of Ted Kennedy’s illness. I assume Kennedy has not too long to live (though he does look pretty good) and Massachusetts would lose ANY pull in the Senate if both Kennedy and Kerry are replaced.

   Just a theory.

7. Aaron Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 11:41 am

   Ah, the awkward turtle. A lifelong voter will be minted today if I catch any Senator making that gesture.

8. mike Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 11:42 am

   The press corps sucks, news at 11.

   It is nice for Yglesias to keep pointing it out though.

9. mort Says:
   January 13th, 2009 at 11:55 am

   Yes, the Senators are boring; but we get Chris Matthews’ analysis.

10. John Boonstra Says:
    January 13th, 2009 at 12:00 pm

    liveblog happening here.

11. Notorious P.A.T. Says:
    January 13th, 2009 at 12:08 pm

    The press corps sucks, news at 11

    If the press sucks, why would you want to see a story from the press about it sucking?

12. Brien Jackson Says:
    January 13th, 2009 at 12:13 pm

    Actually I think it’s much worse than that; the underlying factor in the coverage is that the people who craft the content of major news outlets don’t actually understand these issues. There’s all sorts of reasons for that, but the most glaring is that the journalism industry has basically been walled off at the highest levels to people who don’t have degrees in journalism and didn’t spend their whole careers as a reporter. Which isn’t to demean the work reporters do, but when you’re trying to “analyze” the news, you have to have people who are actually experts on the topic. Reporters are basically experts at writing stories, and so you get an “analysis” that takes on the form of a story narrative. And everyone knows that any good story has to have a central conflict.

13. AHG Says:
    January 13th, 2009 at 12:41 pm

    I blame her lady-bits for making the press stoopid.

14. goethean Says:
    January 13th, 2009 at 12:45 pm

    Kerry is a professional, unlike those who run the media.

15. Persia Says:
    January 13th, 2009 at 12:59 pm

    It’s because the Beltway reporters never got past junior high school, mentally.

16. Francisco The Man Says:
    January 13th, 2009 at 1:51 pm

    Another good post, Matt. Yes, Kerry is indeed a professional.

17. Guy Yedwab Says:
    January 13th, 2009 at 3:03 pm

    Well, Senator John Kerry is a professional, but some people in politics are not.

    The point is that the news covers politics as though it was a television show. If I were creating a political drama, I would have at least one tense scene in which John Kerry struggles with his disappointment, in which he searches his soul for the strength to do the right thing… and finally, at a key moment in the hearing, decides once and for all to put his personal feelings behind him… but at what cost?

    That kind of narrative isn’t going to win you a Pulitzer, but it might win you a Golden Globe…

18. Jonathan Says:
    January 13th, 2009 at 4:15 pm

    I just watched Kerry question Hillary, and he could not have been more professional or respectful. It was a simple honest and friendly Q&A.

    If anything, given the questions Kerry asked, and the points he made, I’m a bit shocked that the wouldn’t have been picked for the Sec. of State position.

19. Mike Says:
    January 13th, 2009 at 4:35 pm

    The underlying supposition of this coverage seems to be that there’s some kind of shortfall of noteworthy substantive issues related to the conduct of US foreign policy that we could speculate about. And that’s nuts.

    That’s the downside of the Clinton nomination. You do get “the Clinton brand,” but you also get mainly coverage of the sideshow — whether its Clinton Foundation disclosure issues or interpersonal things. Not that she herself wouldn’t prefer to talk about substance. But substance is just boring when you can report on a carnival instead.

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