And so my political-blog obsession comes to an end?

Like many of you in this latest political season, I was enthralled by the incessant hour-to-minute-to-second news cycle, constantly clicking refresh on my favorite news sources and blogs, from The Huffington Post to FiveThirtyEight to Matthew Yglesias to Salon’s Glen Greenwald. My consistent obsession, though, was Andrew Sullivan’s Daily Dish—but not because his blog is the most informative, since being informed was, for me, never really the point. Sullivan often voiced my own incredulity on a number of fronts (and affronts), most notably and satisfyingly on California’s Proposition 8 and McCain’s running-mate selection. And he was also a staunch defender of Obama, despite the fact that Sullivan considers himself a “conservative.”

Alas, I’m no longer clicking refresh on Sullivan’s—or anyone else’s—blog (it’s back to clicking refresh on NBA scores and TGW, I guess), but on the first full day of our new president’s term, I can’t help but think back on my obsession, and on all of the nasty, ignorant, incendiary, and ridiculous things that were said about Obama—many of which Sullivan posted about.

Anyway, I know I’m supposed to be looking forward, not backward, but as I say goodbye to my blog obsession and the longest presidential campaign ever (not to mention eight very long years), allow me to look back on some of my favorite statements about Obama, culled from the Dish:

Kathryn-Jean Lopez, National Review:

I think his 15 minutes as a serious contender for the presidency are about up.

Victoria Jackson (yes, formerly of SNL):

I don’t want a political label, but Obama bears traits that resemble the anti-Christ and I’m scared to death that uneducated people will ignorantly vote him into office… He pretends to be a Christian and he incriminates himself everytime he speaks about Christianity. To lie about being a believer in Christ is very dangerous. Lightning could strike him at any minute!

Kim Crawford, Velociworld:

Did I mention this man hates me? You and me? Yes he does. Why? Because he can. Yes He Can. Beneath that cool persona is a megalomaniac. Cool? Like Stalin after a purge, emotionally and sexually spent. Like Saddam after a torture session, dozing in his chair with someone’s genitals curled in his fist. Like Pol Pot after a petit mal seizure, mumbling a litany of the dead. Cool that way.

Mark Levin, National Review:

The only candidate who has surrounded himself with and befriended a freak show of racists, anti-Semites, and America haters is Barack Obama. This isn’t guilt by association. These are Obama’s life experiences. And you’d think it would be more problematic than a few people in an audience shouting out some nasty things about Obama.

Burt Prelutsky, Townhall.com:

It probably isn’t cricket to include Michelle Obama in this dirty laundry list of Barack’s associates, and yet it’s hard to simply overlook the fact that he chose to marry this nasty, bitter, openly racist ingrate.

Michael Graham, NRO:

When he is forced to fight, Sen. Obama’s inexperience shows. His record, slight as it is, is tough to defend. He’s got a glass jaw, and he will fall into the trap of identity politics. In fact, he already has. The “could we beat Obama?” conversation is purely academic. It’s over. The Clintons have defeated him already, because he is leaving South Carolina as “the black candidate.” He won’t win another state.

Mark Penn, The Atlantic:

All of these articles about his boyhood in Indonesia and his life in Hawaii are geared towards showing his background is diverse, multicultural and putting that in a new light. Save it for 2050 … I cannot imagine America electing a president during a time of war who is not at his center fundamentally American in his thinking and values. The right knows Obama is unelectable except against Attila the Hun.

Bill Kristol, Fox News Sunday:

Barack Obama is not going to beat Hillary Clinton in a single democratic primary. I’ll predict that right now.

So, I know I’m supposed to be all hopeful and gracious and inclusive, following Obama’s lead by embracing those who think differently from me, but I can’t help but feel entirely, vindictively gleeful—not just about our victory, but about their defeat.

OK, yes, sorry… y’all can go back to Hope and Change in a moment, but first, seriously—how much more satisfying is it to read all of this now?

14 responses to “And so my political-blog obsession comes to an end?”

  1. I get it. For example, when Bush was booed on his way to the inaugural stage, and even Keith Olberman was calling it bad form, I was booing right along with the crowd. I’m afraid that boos and jeers might be all the accountability that GWB might ever face. Given the chance, I don’t plan on missing the opportunity.

  2. Jeremy says:

    It was fun to hear Obama chastise Bush and repudiate the last 8 years while Bush was sitting right there behind him, too… Speaking of boos, I loved John Stewart’s line last night. Describing Obama and Bush walking together and hearing the crowd cheering, Stewart, doing his Bush voice, says, “What kind of boos are these? Happy boos?”

  3. Godfree says:

    I was filled with such deep glee to watch that Hell-icopter magically float away and deliver Satan back to Texas. And I imagine that there has never been anyone so happy to be on his way home.

  4. Jeremy says:

    Did you see any of that speech he gave back in TX? People were chanting “four more years.” I actually shuddered.

  5. Jane says:

    Wow. That Kim Crawford quote was really something.
    Thanks for the memories, Jeremy. I, too, am feeling a bit gloat-y and in-your-face-ish about the victory.

    And my favorite part of The Daily Show’s coverage of the inauguration was when John Stewart mocked Rev. Lowrey’s speech and says, “When blue will be allowed in too, when puce will be set loose, when we will rise above the minutiae of fuchsia, and orange…screw orange!”

  6. Dave says:

    These quotes are fun. I remember that Kim Crawford one — such vivid language.

    So Jeremy, do you think you’re going to become fairly apolitical now that you don’t have the dirty thrill of being outraged by the Bush administration on the daily blogs?

  7. Jeremy says:

    Dave, I don’t think I could ever become “apolitical”–though it would be nice, I suppose, to go back to not needing to care quite so much. I could see becoming less political as a result of being somewhat more satisfied with where the government’s headed, yeah.

  8. LP says:

    What’s amazing about many of these quotes is how blatantly racist they are. The whole argument about Obama being “not really American” is such a transparent load of bs. Also, I couldn’t help but imagine, when it turned out that Levi Johnson’s mom was arrested for dealing in crystal meth, how that would have played if it were Sasha Obama’s boyfriend’s mom, rather than Sarah Palin’s. What a bunch of hypocrites.

    And Jeremy, the Dish is just as informative and interesting post-election. I still read it every day, throughout the day.

  9. LP says:

    Whoops, rather than Bristol Palin’s. Sorry.

  10. LP says:

    Whoops again, OxyContin. Not crystal meth.

  11. LP says:

    OK, one more correction. It would be Malia Obama’s boyfriend; she’s the older sister. Jeesh, I need an editor.

  12. LP says:

    And yes, she’s only 10 now, but, you know, if she were older.

  13. Natasha says:

    It’s a great post, Jeremy, probably the best one of yours I have read. I was always shocked to see such a strange rift amidst the two parties and such tumultuous onsets by the GOP towards all others. It seems to me that a lot of the GOP members are not the “haves and the have-mores” (Bush’s expression, which disturbed me) righteous nobles, as they claim to be, but rather a lot of close-minded, fibbing, xenophobic, prattling, what’s that word, well…non-intellectuals, let’s just put it that way. Most of them have probably not heard any of Obama’s speeches and do not wish for anything to intercept their staccato minds. You could see the contrast in the clamor of boos during McCain’s speech (when he praised Obama) on the night of the election, versus the simple silence that followed Obama’s consent in regards to McCain.

    Someone once said, “I’d rather make sense to a hundred intellectuals than to one obtuse person.” Unfortunately, Obama is dealing with the whole posse of them, a large one, I might add. I share the happiness about the election with you and, can’t deny it, possibly even some of that “vindictive gleefulness,” yet I am concerned for Obama’s safety. Each time he got out of his car during the inauguration parade, I was so stressed out and watched the crowd more than his bodyguards did. I also think that there is a lot more interesting things to see in the months to come. I loved the decisions he made today in regards to the salaries in his office. I can’t wait to see more.

  14. Farrell says:

    Some of those quotes are revolting. But mostly, what great pleasure to read them, Jeremy. It has been such a gleeful 36 hours. Thanks for extending it.