Mortgage Payment Specials. (A little morning fun.)
What David Gergen said last night on Anderson Cooper 360 gave me goose-bumps. I was not in anger nor in a state of hostility. To the contrary, I was in a state of total admiration of what he said. I have seen that tactic, for want of a better word, played on the public many times before by what now seems to have been executed by bumbling amateurs as compared to David Gergen. Was he also manifesting anger at the Obama campaign for their treatment of the reporters? He shocked the hell out of me as did Andrea Mitchell, but I did stay cool both times.
Mr. Gergen and his cohort were discussing the Foreign Experience tour of Sen. Obama and Mr. Gergen made meaningful and positive contributions. That was the “Doing my job” David Gergen. As soon as a breaking news bit came out in reference to Sen. Obama issuing a written statement, that was when Mr. Gergen ever so smoothly slide over into his “Mortgage Payment Special” mode. He enunciated ever so perddy that Sen. Obama had made his first mistake of the tour by undermining the President of the Unite State by teaming up with the leader of a foreign nation to determine U.S. policy.
Hindsight tells me I was panting at this time. What became clear to me is what a lot of commentators and pundits do but not with such skill and a consistent persona as Mr. Gergen. This is how I view the formula goes: The commentator or pundit talks and says just enough to satisfy his basic job requirements but he knows he has to put in a little extra something to get the mortgage payment so he would say something so controversial and outrageous as to satisfy a completely different audience. Usually this happen after he has have given his spill and is asked, “What do you think?” This is the way the mid-level ones do it. Then there are the un-sophisticated real pedestrian ones who start out trying to get a mortgage payment as soon as the starting bell rings a la Wolfe Blitzer contrasted to the other fellow on his show who just goes for the satisfying of his job requirements. Then there is the David Gergens level. Top of the line. They can really fool you at first. They can have you eating out of their hands pre Mortgage Payment time.
-Hello, Sam?
-Yes?
-Sam, can you come on the show tomorrow to debate Pat on Sen. Obama’s trip to Iraq?
-Sure.
-Are you going to argue for a mortgage payment?
-You know it and I think I’ll also go for a side chair for my dining room table.
-Great! See you tomorrow. I’ll have your check ready when you leave. Don’t disappoint me now. You said a mortgage payment and dining room chair, right?
-See ya, tomorrow.
As always,
BB
Mr. Gergen and his cohort were discussing the Foreign Experience tour of Sen. Obama and Mr. Gergen made meaningful and positive contributions. That was the “Doing my job” David Gergen. As soon as a breaking news bit came out in reference to Sen. Obama issuing a written statement, that was when Mr. Gergen ever so smoothly slide over into his “Mortgage Payment Special” mode. He enunciated ever so perddy that Sen. Obama had made his first mistake of the tour by undermining the President of the Unite State by teaming up with the leader of a foreign nation to determine U.S. policy.
Hindsight tells me I was panting at this time. What became clear to me is what a lot of commentators and pundits do but not with such skill and a consistent persona as Mr. Gergen. This is how I view the formula goes: The commentator or pundit talks and says just enough to satisfy his basic job requirements but he knows he has to put in a little extra something to get the mortgage payment so he would say something so controversial and outrageous as to satisfy a completely different audience. Usually this happen after he has have given his spill and is asked, “What do you think?” This is the way the mid-level ones do it. Then there are the un-sophisticated real pedestrian ones who start out trying to get a mortgage payment as soon as the starting bell rings a la Wolfe Blitzer contrasted to the other fellow on his show who just goes for the satisfying of his job requirements. Then there is the David Gergens level. Top of the line. They can really fool you at first. They can have you eating out of their hands pre Mortgage Payment time.
-Hello, Sam?
-Yes?
-Sam, can you come on the show tomorrow to debate Pat on Sen. Obama’s trip to Iraq?
-Sure.
-Are you going to argue for a mortgage payment?
-You know it and I think I’ll also go for a side chair for my dining room table.
-Great! See you tomorrow. I’ll have your check ready when you leave. Don’t disappoint me now. You said a mortgage payment and dining room chair, right?
-See ya, tomorrow.
As always,
BB
posted by BB at 10:43 AM
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