Spin...er, meet the press

Jack Murtha was a guest on Meet the Press yesterday. I didn't watch. A video is available, but I still haven't watched. "Why?" ye ask incredulously! I'm glad you asked. It's because words and appearances often have less impact than spin, and here is an illustration of spin at it's curiousest.

Rachel Sklar describes Murtha's performance with glowing appreciation.

This was as effective a performance on Meet The Press as I've seen, and demonstrated not only that Murtha is right but that he's good. He knew exactly what he was doing, and he did it expertly. Right off the bat he took the offensive, hammering away at Republican talking points and emphasizing and re-emphasizing his own.

...and a chorus of Amens follows in the comments.

Meantime, Ann Althouse whom I love and respect -- a Democrat, for goodness' sake, or she used to be -- pans Murtha right out of the gate. Oh, and yes, another chorus of Amens follows here as well...

Did somebody misprogram him?

It sounds as though he was repeating a pep talk someone gave him before the show. It's easy! No, it's not. The polls! You're going into the campaign season, when people are going to start paying attention to the arguments. Are you just going to tell us that we already agree with you?I'm sure Rove enjoyed that pathetic performance.

It makes me tired, all this straining to influence public opinion. it would be different if public opinion were translated into policy, but it rarely is. And when it is, by the time it slips on the mantle of policy and law, that same public opinion has often reversed itself, either because of unforseen unintended consequences or because it is more interested in who might become the next American Idol. Nothing here, folks. Keep moving.

(Posts like this lose readers and illustrate why no one wants to subscribe to my little blog. Sorry 'bout that. I calls 'em like I sees 'em.)