Mark Halperin Doesn't "Cover" the Freak Show. Mark Halperin Is the Head Freak
Atrios informs me of Mark Halperin, saying:
The Page - by Mark Halperin - TIME: Things McCain can do when running against Obama that Clinton has been unable to do well or at all.... 6. Allow some supporters to risk being accused of using the race card when criticizing Obama.... 8. Play dirty.... 11. Emphasize Barack Hussein Obama's unusual name and exotic background through a Manchurian Candidate prism.... Perhaps an ad such as this will run in Ohio:
So, what do you really know about Barack Obama? Did you know he supports meeting with the head of xxxxxxxxx xxxxxx? Do you know he wants to get rid of your right xx xxx x xxxxxxx? Do you know he is calling for the repeal of the law preventing xxx xxxxxxxx? Do you know he is for a xxxxxxxx-xxxxxx xxx xxxxxxxx? Xxxx xx xxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxx Barack Obama?
I have a question for Mark Halperin: Wouldn't it be even better if John McCain did not have to pay for that ad but could get some corrupt, complaisant, ethics-free freak of a "journalist" to put that ad in the pages of Time?
Oh. That's what you just did. So that's what you ment when you said: "McCain could..." You meant "I, Mark Halperin, will--and boy will McCain be grateful."
Halperin hasn't made a prediction of immoral and unethical things McCain might do. Halperin has gone and done it.
That is the problem with performative utterances.
Mark Halperin doesn't "cover" the freak show. Mark Halperin is the freak show.
UPDATE: Mark Kleiman writes:
The Reality-Based Community: Mark Halperin, enabler of bigotry: Mark Halperin would say that he's merely describing tactics the McCain campaign might use... not advocating them. But when a reporter for a mainstream publication suggests that a candidate for President appeal to racism... and religious bigotry... it's time for someone to call the meeting to order.
Referring to how McCain should treat Michelle Obama's gaffes, Halperin calls for "unrestricted censure."
Sauce. Goose. Gander.
It would be good for the country if Mark Halperin lost his job in the next 24 hours. Just sayin'.
