DUVALL: The politics of personal

By Eric DuVall<br><a href="mailto:duvalle@gnnewspaper.com">E-mail Eric</a>
The Tonawanda News

North Tonawanda, NY July 27, 2008 12:21 am

— Someone once said that the true measure of wisdom is the ability to hold two opposing thoughts in your head at the same time without exploding.
I find that to be a both true and increasingly elusive quality in people these days.
Case in point, my column Wednesday. I offered some amateur analysis (I’m no professional pundit, but I do follow things closely) of the presidential elections. I wrote, and still beleive, that the entire thing hinges on whether or not Barack Obama can convince Americans that he would be a good commander in cheif — and that a large piece of that puzzle fell into place during his trip overseas.
Of course I have opinions. I share them frequently in this space. But when it comes to politics, the days of brash partisanship are long since over with for me. Sure, as an idealistic college student I would get into heated debates with people who saw things differently. I even flirted with a career as a political consultant after being a part of a state Assembly campaign shortly after graduation.
To be entirely honest, I found the entire process unappealing and unsavory. Sure, there were some good people trying to make a difference. But now that I’ve seen it from the outside looking in, our politics has a long way to go before I’d ever again consider it as a meal ticket.
So, with that omission, I return to my original question: Why do we have to get so mad about politics these days?
After writing Wednesday’s column, I got e-mail from a few readers who called me a “LIBERAL!!!” (among other, more offensive terms).
I wouldn’t really consider myself a liberal. Anything that was written it that column was analysis, not cheerleading — I know some conservatives who would agree with that analysis too.
And so what if I was a liberal? Should that necessitate a hateful rebuke from a conservative?
There’s a running joke in the newspaper business — that conservatives will always think your paper is a liberal rag and liberals will always think the editor is a conservative ape. It’s as true here as anywhere. I’ve had partisans on both sides of the aisle accuse me of being with the other camp.
Of course when it comes to news coverage, we’re neither. And when it comes to opinions, I care more about whether they’re well reasoned than ideologically in line with my own.
I don’t like arguing politics anymore. I used to love it. Now, I’m just tired of all the goofiness that surrounds our political system — and the frothing hatred of those who pass as “passionate.”
It’ll never happen, but I’d love it if we could just sit back and analyze ideas. You tell me your way, I’ll tell you mine. Who ever has the best one wins. And maybe, if we’re really good, we can combine our ideas and use parts of both.
Politicians on both sides have cultivated an us-versus-them mentality. News outlets, especially cable news and talk radio, have taken the ball and run with it, realizing that people would rather watch Bill O’Reilly than the late Tim Russert.
One was a respected journalist whose who sought to cull facts, opinions and information for an intelligent class of politically aware people. The other is the equivelant of partisan mudwrestling.
You telll me which mold would serve us better.
Managing Editor Eric DuVall’s column appears every Wednesday and
Sunday. Contact him at 693-1000,
ext. 112, or by e-mail to duvalle@gnnewspaper.com.

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