Dotty Dowd

Ok so I couldn't stay away for that long . . . espcially after reading the esteem able Maureen Dowd's mid-week disjointed rantings. This one is particularly fractured. She starts with network anchors:

In the free fall of TV news, ABC's attempt to create a successor for Ted Koppel's "Nightline" will go down as one of the most hilariously embarrassing moments.

One show tested recently, according to reports, was set in a nightclub. It had white tablecloths, candles, a jazz quintet, a live audience at little tables and - this is not a joke - faux fog.

We've gone from the fog of war to the fog of news.

Then moves on to her habitual Rupert reflection:

In Washington last week, Rupert Murdoch echoed Mr. Moonves in giving the American Society of Newspaper Editors some bad news about young people in the age of the Internet, blogging and cable news:

"They don't want to rely on the morning paper for their up-to-date information. They don't want to rely on a god-like figure from above to tell them what's important. ... They certainly don't want news presented as gospel."

She has special antipathy for the new Pope. I'm particularly amazed (OK, not really) at her reaction and those on the editorial staffs of the major newspapers. They've already passed judgment. Talk about Christian . . .

The white smoke yesterday signaled that the Vatican thinks what it needs to bring it into modernity is the oldest pope since the 18th century: Joseph Ratzinger, a 78-year-old hidebound archconservative who ran the office that used to be called the Inquisition and who once belonged to Hitler Youth. For American Catholics - especially women and Democratic pro-choice Catholic pols - the cafeteria is officially closed. After all, Cardinal Ratzinger, nicknamed "God's Rottweiler" and "the Enforcer," helped deny Communion rights to John Kerry and other Catholic politicians in the 2004 election.

The only other job this pope would be qualified for is "60 Minutes" anchor.

OK, let's take a look at this last bit. She first takes a swipe at the cardinals by slammin' them for voting for "the oldest pope since the 18th century". Just like a Lib to use agism to make her point. But she's not done, the Spanish Inquistion was abolished in the early 19th century: "In 1965, the P.R.-sensitive Pope Paul VI rebranded the Inquisition as the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith...Paul VI even revoked its ability to ban books, leaving the Inquisition toothless and largely irrelevant going into the 21st century." This doesn't stop her from implying something evil.

I think she especially guilt of the sin of omission when she invokes the Hitler Youth card. She should continued... all youths in Bavaria were required to join the Hitler Youth and of course she omits the fact Ratzinger deserted Hitler's army! But I guess the specifics can be omitted if it's necessary to make a point...

Finally, I don't seem to remember Sen. Kerry being denied communion, so I don't know how "the Rottweiler" could be condemned for this. I've more to say on this, but I'll need to file that in another post.

What would be a Dowd post with out the obligatory Bush-bash:

President Bush has also long acted as if he channeled the voice of God...Mr. Bush's more subtle obeisance to the evangelical right is no longer enough. Puffed up with its electoral clout, the Christian right now wants politicians to genuflect openly.

Just when I think 'what the hell' when it comes to the Media, I stumble across a work of art such as this...