Weekend links.
Perhaps it's the exhaustion from the over exertion during the week, but the comment this weekend seems a little thin.
Not so thin though that Obama's victory is still not rightly reverberating throughout the newspapers and online. The initial euphoria does seem however to have rightly given way to more circumspect analysis of how much is likely to change, with the even the first pieces emerging, from Back Towards the Locus and Mark Braund of open scepticism towards Obama. Paul Linford compares Obama's victory with Labour's in Glenrothes, whilst Gerry Hassan on OurKingdom writes of the continuing struggle for Scotland's soul. Mike Power via Neil Clark also reminds of us of how Janet Daley predicted that America would instead vote for the "war hero, the statesman who talks about foreign policy and national security with real authority." John McCain may have been a fundamentally decent man, but he's also long been a unrepentant warmonger, and exactly what was not needed after 8 years of the same under Bush.
Elsewhere, in general miscellanea, Daniel Davies takes on Trevor Phillips, who seems to have decided that his job is to think the unthinkable, which often in reality means talking out of his backside. Davies assaults him on immigration, whilst also nonsense were his remarks that a Barack Obama in this country could not become prime minister due to the institutional racism not in society, but in political parties. The fact is that a Barack Obama has not emerged in this country because our politicians routinely fail to inspire those of their own allegiance, let alone the general public. When one does, the obstacles in his or her way hardly be insurmountable. The Heresiarch meanwhile attacks Iain Dale for his apparent belief in psychics(!), Catherine Bennett remarks on how animals are often treated better than humans, the Guardian celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Human Rights Act, and it would be remiss not to link to Alix Mortimer's takedown of Hazel Blears's remarks on blogging nihilism.
Finally, the award for the worst tabloid comment piece of the weekend is again a struggle between the usual suspects. Lorraine Kelly writes that Barack Obama's best asset is his wife (not his oratory, breaking of the political mould, calmness in a crisis or opposition to the Iraq war then), whilst Amanda "Glenda Slagg" Platell aims her scattergun at the familiar targets of Fergie, Michelle Obama, which really has to be quoted to just emphasise Platell's nastiness
and Ulrika Jonsson. We're going to break the rules though and instead give the award to Bidisha on CiF, who wearingly mistakes the mockery and contempt for Sarah Palin for misogyny. No, Bidisha, it isn't hatred of women: it's that Palin was the epitome of Republican reverse-snobbery, an uneducated ignorant bigot that shockingly if McCain had won was, to use the cliche, a heartbeat away from being the most powerful person on the planet. That's what was frightening, and why she has deserved everything she's got.
Not so thin though that Obama's victory is still not rightly reverberating throughout the newspapers and online. The initial euphoria does seem however to have rightly given way to more circumspect analysis of how much is likely to change, with the even the first pieces emerging, from Back Towards the Locus and Mark Braund of open scepticism towards Obama. Paul Linford compares Obama's victory with Labour's in Glenrothes, whilst Gerry Hassan on OurKingdom writes of the continuing struggle for Scotland's soul. Mike Power via Neil Clark also reminds of us of how Janet Daley predicted that America would instead vote for the "war hero, the statesman who talks about foreign policy and national security with real authority." John McCain may have been a fundamentally decent man, but he's also long been a unrepentant warmonger, and exactly what was not needed after 8 years of the same under Bush.
Elsewhere, in general miscellanea, Daniel Davies takes on Trevor Phillips, who seems to have decided that his job is to think the unthinkable, which often in reality means talking out of his backside. Davies assaults him on immigration, whilst also nonsense were his remarks that a Barack Obama in this country could not become prime minister due to the institutional racism not in society, but in political parties. The fact is that a Barack Obama has not emerged in this country because our politicians routinely fail to inspire those of their own allegiance, let alone the general public. When one does, the obstacles in his or her way hardly be insurmountable. The Heresiarch meanwhile attacks Iain Dale for his apparent belief in psychics(!), Catherine Bennett remarks on how animals are often treated better than humans, the Guardian celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Human Rights Act, and it would be remiss not to link to Alix Mortimer's takedown of Hazel Blears's remarks on blogging nihilism.
Finally, the award for the worst tabloid comment piece of the weekend is again a struggle between the usual suspects. Lorraine Kelly writes that Barack Obama's best asset is his wife (not his oratory, breaking of the political mould, calmness in a crisis or opposition to the Iraq war then), whilst Amanda "Glenda Slagg" Platell aims her scattergun at the familiar targets of Fergie, Michelle Obama, which really has to be quoted to just emphasise Platell's nastiness
Michelle Obama the new Jackie O? Not with that frock she wore on the big night, arguably the most hideous acceptance outfit in the history of the free world.No, I suspect Mrs Obama will be more like Cherie Blair - her cleverness matched only by her chippiness, her humble beginnings rammed down our throats at every opportunity.
'My number one job as First Lady is to be Mom first,' she has said. In which case, why has she spent the most formative years of her daughters' lives as a highly paid hospital administrator?
and Ulrika Jonsson. We're going to break the rules though and instead give the award to Bidisha on CiF, who wearingly mistakes the mockery and contempt for Sarah Palin for misogyny. No, Bidisha, it isn't hatred of women: it's that Palin was the epitome of Republican reverse-snobbery, an uneducated ignorant bigot that shockingly if McCain had won was, to use the cliche, a heartbeat away from being the most powerful person on the planet. That's what was frightening, and why she has deserved everything she's got.
Labels: weekend, weekend links, weekend round-up
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