the always excellent Glenn Greenwald gives his take on the past week but, also points to the larger issue of the media interfering with our primaries and protecting the established status quo. Greenwald has such an excellent article I suggest for you to read the whole thing.
As always, when wielded by Beltway media stars, the terms "centrist" and "moderate" and "mainstream" mean "whatever views I personally happen to hold on a topic, regardless of how many Americans actually share it." Hence, the unanimous, wise Beltway wisdom was that Barack Obama "blew it" in the last Democratic debate by proclaiming his willingness to meet with leaders of hostile countries, while Hillary Clinton scored a big victory.
As but one example, from Thursday's Chris Matthews Show, discussing the Clinton-Obama debate:
MATTHEWS: I share your sentiments. But as a journalist, I have to look at the politics of this thing. Your last words?
HAYES: I think if continues down this course I think he's in serious trouble because it‘s unsustainable.
MATTHEWS: Too far left?
HAYES: Absolutely.
Matthews went on to pronounce, with regard to the exchange with Obama, that it shows why Hillary "will win this thing."
And what of polling data that shows exactly the opposite? Who cares? Beltway wisdom is more representative of what Americans believe than what Americans actually believe. From the latest Rasmussen Reports poll:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/07/28/centrism/index.html