Today, David Brooks hoists himself by his own petard of absurdist, disingenuous blather. I refer to this mendacious editorial in which he lauds Saint McCain and paints Obama as a shrewd and ruthless political opportunist masquerading as latte-sipping leftist.
Here's the key paragraph:
This guy is the whole Chicago package: an idealistic, lakefront liberal fronting a sharp-elbowed machine operator. He’s the only politician of our lifetime who is underestimated because he’s too intelligent. He speaks so calmly and polysyllabically that people fail to appreciate the Machiavellian ambition inside.
Such assertions would seem funny if columnists so dishonest weren't taken seriously by those who claim to speak for mainstream America. But take heart. Nauseatingly insincere though Brooks is, at this point in the political cycle, after nearly eight years of the criminal organization called the Bush Administration, such nonsense is playing to an ever-smaller audience.
In fact, there's reason to believe such nonsense actually helps Obama.
I say this because pretty much anyone who reads Brooks knows he's a partisan hack. The guy has no credibility on the left or among educated, fair-minded centrists. Among so-called Independents, he carries some clout. But many of those who call themselves Independent are conservative, at least on social issues; people who like to think of themselves as existing above the narrow ideological confines of party. In most years, such folks can be counted on to line up behind the Republican du Jour.
What Brooks neglects to consider is that those who are persuaded by his nonsense are the very same readers who are most likely to be impressed by visions of Obama the master manipulator sporting a switchblade beneath his Armani. That's why I assert that more of those who take Brooks seriously will be opened to Obama by this craven nonsense than those who will be turned away.
Just one more point. By lauding St. McCain as a great campaign finance reform idealist, Brooks risks turning more of his loyal fans away from His Maverickness than towards him. Many Republicans have nothing but contempt for idealism but hold a special place in their hearts for mendaciousness.
Thus, considering the nature of the audience, for those who support Obama, Brooks' hideous portrait of The Evil Dr. Barack, particularly when contrasted against the heavenly figure of Saint McCain, is nothing to fear.