Philadelphia Weekly

To Tim Whitaker on his recent editor's column, "U.S. of Stupido":

There is a regrettable problem in your admonition that the general public reject political horseshit. The problem is that the public has demonstrated over and over again, time after time in all sorts of industries and all sorts of issues that it loves horseshit. People love it whether it's real or contrived ... and so do journalists. Why? Because it sells. Just glance at the number of successful grocery store gossip rags.

As Tommy Smothers said after receiving his belated 1960s Emmy Award, "Truth is what you get other people to believe." I really, really dislike that I'm forced to join Mr. Smothers in this view, but I'm forced to recognize the reality that, as a society, what we believe is greatly defined by our needs and wants and not what's true or not.

Politicians are experts at knowing what we want/need to believe and they simply reflect those beliefs back to us. No matter what their real performance record has been our behavior has demonstrated time and again that we'll believe what we're told to believe.

I applaud your admonishment, Mr. Whitaker, but please get real. Your admonitions are falling on deaf ears. Prove me wrong. I'm begging you to. We are the U.S. of Stupido.

You fail to demonstrate the specific virtues of your candidate, Barack Obama. You claim that "[Obama] had a job that helps poor people"--was he successful at this endeavor? What exactly has Obama done to help poor people or improve employment opportunities for Illinois or strengthen America's economy and national security?

You also claim that Obama is about "community. Union. Faith in the American people." How so? Has Obama ever worked with the GOP? Has Obama ever challenged his own party? Has Obama ever fought the corruption infamous and endemic to Chicago's machine politics?

Obama's speeches are nice, but he's failing to convince American voters that he's anything more than a man of words instead of a man of action.

Perhaps you can help your candidate: I challenge you to write a column stating exactly what Barack Obama has done in his 25-year career that even comes close to his rhetoric.

Talk about horseshit! Your ode to Obama is full of it. The Democratic attack machine, including yourself, does all that you list under the Republican column, and more. Did you happen to hear any of the pauses, smirks and cackles about Sarah Palin that people like you have been lobbing for weeks at the McCain campaign? She's only running for vice president.

I'm more worried about the empty suit running for president on the Democratic ticket. The one whose speech will be quoted "through the ages." Cue the music! Part the waters! Are you ready to crown this man king or just elect him president?

But the most important thing that comes through in your piece is that those who disagree with you--those of us who don't see the halo around Obama's head that you see--are stupid Americans. It is you and your ilk, not Republicans, who disdain and ridicule those who oppose them, and resort to name-calling and cynicism. Practice what you preach about Obama.

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