Since directing Al Gore's presidential campaign, Donna Brazile has
devoted countless Sunday mornings to the sort of televised, weekly,
roundtable chatter that Washington loves. She is, in other words, a
pundit.
So it's a bit surprising to see her blast the whole domain of punditry--and she knows it. She admits as much in a short
Washington Post item (part of the excellent series "Twelve Things the World Should Toss Out"):
I probably shouldn't say this; it's the definition of biting the hand that feeds me...It's time to abolish punditry.
Brazile,
a Democratic strategist in her non-pundit hours, argues that such a
drastic move is necessary to bring civility back into politics. More
importantly, it would restore a platform and voice to those who deserve
it--the experts:
I say replace
the pundits with people who have genuine expertise -- whether from
their academic work, professional life or personal experience -- on the
key issues of the day. Instead of partisan talking heads or mad hatters
from the "tea party" preaching their views on, say, health care and
taxes, let's hear from doctors and insurance professionals, or the
number-crunchers from the Congressional Budget Office.
Sensible enough advice. But as a pundit, she should know that
nothing gets through without repetition, and so her vow to make the
case "just once" means it's almost certainly doomed to be forgotten.
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