Editorial: The misconception about having conviction
Understandably, with all that has transpired during the Bush presidency, our country is more divided than ever. Though, more and more, the media is lazily using this division as an explanation each time a progressive takes a strong stance on anything. Since when did having conviction make you far-left? The words 'liberal' and 'conservative' are supposed to describe policy. They have nothing to do with whether you have the courage to stand up for yourself.
After the fierce exchange a few days ago between Elizabeth Edwards and Ann Coulter, the so-called 'pundits' are trying to simplify what this means in the context of the 2008 campaign. They think that by standing up to Coulter, John Edwards is now all of a sudden farther to the left of Obama and Hillary.
Look at this pathetic excuse of a report from :
But independent analysts say the actions ofEdwards and his wife appear to be an attempt to position the candidateas the insurgent, to the left of his chief rivals for the nomination:Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois. Andthere is general agreement among them that it is a smart move forEdwards, given the more centrist appeals of the two incumbent senators.
Aside from the sad fact that John Edwards and the code word 'insurgent' were used in the same sentence, I still don't understand how this makes Edwards more liberal.
Harry Reid is pro-life and anti-gun control. But because he spoke to bloggers as last year's , by the media's standards that must make him a flaming socialist, right? Contrary to conventional wisdom, you can be a political centrist and still have a spine. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Jim Webb (D-VA), who fought hard against the establishment last fall, are living examples of that.
It is both lazy and repetitive when the media defines enthusiasm in terms of right or left. We at The Blue State will continue to expose news agencies that misinform their readers.
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