Americans love a good conspiracy. I have written previously about the American public preferring to think our problems are the result of some complex and devious plan by politicians that didn't quite work out rather than to see the problem as the result of human incompetence.
But it is interesting to wonder how carefully considered some of the events of this year's silly season of Presidential preference contests may have been.
I offer two modest examples.
First, does Mrs Clinton really think that she can legitimately overtake Senator Obama for the nomination - or is she now trying to cripple Obama as a candidate so that he will lose to a Republican she knows she can beat in 2012. It has been suggested by high ranking Democrats. Have the Clintons really taken a page from the Tonya Harding school of politics ? Oh, say it isn't so.
Second, has Senator Obama benefitted from the Jeremiah Wright circus to the extent that he may have planned it all ? In these days of good will and tolerance, one of the most damaging allegations against the Senator from Illinois is that he is a Muslim. Did Obama provide the Jeremiah Wright story to the media (or at least not respond to it for more than the expected time period) because he was benefitting from the constant drumbeat in the media that he was a Christian - had attended a Christian Church in Chicago for 20 years and here is his nutty pastor to prove it - and get people to talk about it !
Truth ? Plan ? Conspiracy ? Unintended consequences ?
The truth is an elusive goal in politics. You won't find it in the media - and you may not find it here.
Comments (21)Subscribe to CommentsComment