This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

I’m proud to say that I’ve made a conscious effort to avoid the blow-by-blow of the Presidential horse race this year.  In fact, I’ve spent more time – a combined 5 minutes – watching actual horse racing in the last month than I’ve spent watching the political equivalent; I find it leaves me feeling less dirty.

The brouhaha over Cory Booker epitomizes why.

Here’s what I’ve gathered about the situation: apparently, Obama’s campaign released an ad attacking Mitt Romney’s background in private equity.  The ad hurt Romney’s feelings (assuming he has them).  Booker, in response to a question on a show watched by roughly 1% of Americans, said that he thought the ad was out of bounds, going so far as to compare it to attacks on Obama regarding Jeremiah Wright.  Liberals were outraged, OUTRAGED, by this, and conservatives pounced.  Booker then walked his comments back, but not in a terribly convincing manner.

Obviously, Cory Booker is a pretty crappy surrogate for Obama, and it was a pretty terrible thing to say in that capacity.  I’d not be surprised to hear that he’s been stricken from the White House’s Christmas card list this year.

I hear that Vegas has also set the over/under on the number of people whose voting patterns this will affect in November at 4.

Clearly, for this sin, Booker must be cast out of the Democratic Left.  He can’t be trusted and should never see another dime of progressives’ campaign donations.  He is, in fact, nothing but another corrupt politician on the take for the financial industry who should never be allowed near public office again.*

After all, appearing as a surrogate for Obama on a Sunday morning TV show is clearly the most important job Booker could ever hope to hold.  His gaffe is also clearly the most significant indicator of Booker’s ability to govern well and responsibly.

I mean, who cares that under his watch violent crime in Newark has declined dramatically and precipitously?  Who cares that in 2010 Newark had its first murder-free month in 44 years?  Who cares that he’s slashed the city’s crippling budget deficit even as he’s increased taxes and at least doubled the amount of affordable housing in the city?  Who cares that he takes the time to meet one-on-one with city residents regularly?  Or about his exploits as a firefighter?  Or that he’s won awards from the Brady Center for his efforts on gun violence?

In other words, who cares that Cory Booker actually takes his job – the job for which he was elected – seriously, or that he has actually helped an awful lot of people by implementing undeniably progressive policies in that job? His failure as a surrogate demonstrates that he’s just another POS dishonest centrist more concerned with appearing reasonable than supporting good governance.  What he said on Sunday is far more important than what he’s done over the last 6 years.

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*Clearly, the money Booker received for his first mayoral campaign from the financial industry had nothing whatsoever to do with his opponent in that race, the oh-so-honest and trustworthy Sharpe James.

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