As befits a person of my high stature, I received a “personal e-mail” from Michelle Obama this morning, letting me on the secret that the Democratic Party will hold its 2012 Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. Seems to me that it’s a good choice: the Dems will get a lot of free media in a state that Obama carried in 2008 and will make it difficult for the Republicans to win if he carries it again. (It’s also got a very nice new airport, which will help.).
But Michelle — and of course the FLOTUS and I are on a first name basis now — also told me that she needs
to hear from you. We want to know what you’d like to see at next year’s convention, how and where you plan on watching it — and the very best way we can engage your friends and neighbors. Jonathan, please share your input with us right now — how can we make The People’s Convention belong to you and your community?
Well, that’s easy: I don’t really have strong views about what I want to see at the Convention, but I have a very strong idea of what I don’t want to see: a Fox News skybox.
Fox “News” is not a news organization: it is an arm of Movement Conservatism in general and the Republican Party in particular. Just today TPM’s Brian Beutler revealed that Fox managing editor Bill Sammon pushed very hard in 2008 to emphasize Obama’s “socialism.” An estimated three people nationwide are surprised at this. Of course it has every right to advocate and support Movement Conservatism, but there’s no reason why the Democratic Party should help it to do so.
The Republican Convention shouldn’t give a skybox to ACORN, and the Democrats shouldn’t give a skybox to Fox. It’s that simple.