Centerfield

The National Debate

I had lunch with Robert Cox of The National Debate last week at Bloggercon. His blog focuses on media criticism from a roughly centrist perspective.

Robert has done a post calling on John Kerry to delink from Imus. Don Imus, for those who have never heard him, is a radio and cable TV personality who sometimes says some politically incorrect things.

It is more than passing strange that John Kerry, who was so anxious to delink from a Blog - the Daily Kos - after Kos made insensitive remarks about the deaths of four American contractors in Falllujah, has been silent on far worse comments by Don Imus. In fact, Kerry seems to relish the "endorsement" he received from Imus in the days leading up to the New Hampshire primary. By my reckoning, Kerry has had more minutes on Imus more than any other politician over the past four months. Why is Kerry unconcerned that he is using Imus's show as a major platform for his campaign when Imus ROUTINELY makes these kinds of cruel, insensitive remarks about various ethnic groups and nationalities? How is appearing on Imus different from linking to a web log?

Robert makes an interesting point. From a political perspective, though, the difference is that Imus makes light of the death of foreigners, while Kos' scorn was directed at Americans. North Koreans and Iranians, in particular, as perceived of as the enemy, so we presumably wish them ill. Indeed, Kerry may benefit among swing voters by the fact that he's deemed "all right" by someone like Imus.

Should Kerry renounce Imus? I don't think so. It would perceive it to be the reverse of a "Sister Souljah moment" and would raise suspicions that Kerry is a liberal purist. It's a moment to renounce the sin, but not the sinner.

Posted by rickheller at April 23, 2004 07:50 PM