Dowd: There Will Be Blood

[bigtree]

By MAUREEN DOWD

February 3, 2008
LOS ANGELES

Suddenly, everyone was in the mood for love. Would the scream team turn into the dream team?

After Thursday’s Democratic debate, CNN’s Carol Costello said there were “heart palpitations” and “ripples of joy” in the glittery Kodak Theater audience at the idea of a Hillary-Obama or Obama-Hillary ticket, after he was gallant with her and she laughed gaily with him.

How could Hollywood not fall in love with Hollywood’s favorite plot? After lots of sparking and sparring, the couple falls into each other’s arms in the last scene.

The would-be matchmakers didn’t seem to know that in Hollywood, couples who have chemistry on screen often don’t like each other off screen, and ones who are involved off screen often don’t have any chemistry on screen.

And so it is with Barack and Hillary. Thursday night was not the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Just a beautiful, dare we say, fairy tale.

Hillary is done with playing a supporting role to a political natural. And why would Obama want to follow in the frustrated footsteps of Al Gore, who became Bill Clinton’s vice president only to find that the job was already taken by Hillary? Think about being third banana to Billary? There won’t be any Dick Cheney-style coup in Hillary’s White House.

“Can you imagine being in that position?” a member of Team Obama said tartly. “Well, neither can he. It’s just part of their campaign to marginalize him. I think they’re pushing every freaking button they can right now.”

Team Obama refers to the Clinton campaign as “Jaws” because “just when things are quiet, they keep trying to come back and capsize the boat . . . ”

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/opinion/03dowd.html?ei=5087&em=&en=ed02956ee8deefd8&ex=1202187600&pagewanted=print

[Orrex]

1. Is any journalist less credible than Dowd?

After her years of attacks the Democratic candidates, I can't read any of her stuff without reaching for an airsick bag.

[bigtree]

2. I think she's a clever writer, critical and outrageous, but sharp

why do folks have such thin skins? These little digs don't amount to much.

[Orrex]

7. If Coulter wrote what Dowd writes, I suspect that people would be quicker to recognize it

Dowd once referred to Gore, during his 2000 campaign, as "lactating in his excitement." Her position at the Times, dubious though it be, affords her a measure of import, dubious though it be.

She's a hack.


YMMV

[Recursion]

8. Jason Leopold?

:hide:

[Botany]

3. Who gives a damn what Dowd says?

She is a step up from Judy Miller & Novak but below Tim Russert.

[bigtree]

4. she's harmless

silly stuff

She's right, there will be some deep battles before we're done with our primary. The race is too close to avoid it.

[Botany]

10. The stuff she wrote about Gore in 2000 is her scarlet letter for life.

Granted she is a good writer and can turn a phrase but if you
expect to find any "real knowledge" in her work you will have
a hard time in doing so.

She is highly paid and w/ a glamorous lifestyle but Mo, to me, is just a
crazy Irish Setter who whines for attention but really adds nothing to the house.

BTW saying that a tough contest between Hillary and Barack will lead to
tensions is not exactly news.

[gateley]

6. Agree, but I agree with her assessment that there will be blood. nt

[gateley]

5. I agree with Doud's assessment that the bon amie was all for show -- and

I also agree they did a good job.

But I thought O's body language indicated he didn't feel "warmly" about Clinton by any means.

He was cordial and polite, but not as palsy as Clinton came across.

Just my perspective.

[KaryninMiami]

9. Chilling and funny at the same time. But we cannot let our party become divided.

One of my favorite commentaries on the "Democratic Duet Debate" is by Andy Borowitz

Hillary, Obama Get a Room - Candidates Bow to Request of Debate Viewers

After two hours of a televised debate that many pundits characterized as a love-fest, Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton confirmed today that they have gotten a room.

Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton secured a room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, conveniently located near the Kodak Theater where the CNN debate took place.

The extraordinary announcement came on the heels of a request made by millions of television viewers, who emailed CNN last night urging the Democratic rivals to get a room.

In a joint statement released by Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama this morning, the two presidential contenders said, “We have heard the voters loud and clear, asking us to get a room – and we have gotten that room.”

After the couple released a photo of themselves in fluffy white hotel bathrobes, there was a palpable sense of relief in Democratic circles that the two senators had in fact gotten a room.

“It was a little uncomfortable watching the two of them up there together, barely keeping their hands off each other,” said DNC chairman Howard Dean. “The sexual tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.”

As news spread of the candidates’ decision to get a room, pundits speculated about what role former President Bill Clinton might play in such a room.

“I don’t see him playing a role there,” said Hillary biographer Carl Bernstein. “I think Bill Clinton respects the right of someone to get a room.”

Elsewhere, advisors to G.O.P frontrunner John McCain have urged him to stop speaking in that spooky voice.

http://www.borowitzreport.com/