Maureen Dowd: The Reader's Guide

[DeepModem Mom]

23/6: Maureen Dowd: The Reader's Guide


About to pounce on the important issues.

....1. Dowd entitled her column "Raspberry for Barry." Why did she do this?


Answer: "Barry" was a nickname for Barack Obama when he was younger. It is often used by right-wingers, racists, and xenophobes to imply that because Obama, as an adult, decided to go by "Barack" instead of his childhood nickname, he is somehow trying to "pass" as black and is not as in touch with what it is to be black as, for instance, Maureen Dowd, right-wingers, racists and xenophobes. They are justified in this because, obviously, everyone in adulthood goes by their childhood nicknames except inauthentic people who hate America.

Also, Dowd chose "raspberry" because Obama lost in West Virginia, and "raspberry" and "Barry" rhyme. Rhymes like this are extremely funny and satisfying and are considered the hallmark of very good writers.


2. Dowd says that Hillary Clinton was "mining" antipathy. Why did she use this word?

Answer: Because West Virginia is noted for it mining industry. So because West Virginia is under discussion, Dowd says that Clinton was "mining." In the writing profession this is known as "sparkling wordplay." (c.f. Dorothy Parker and S.J. Perlman.)


3. True or False: in paragraph three, Dowd's use of "John McBush" is hilarious.

Answer: True.


4. In paragraph four, why does Dowd say that "Obama is acting the diffident debutante?"

a) It is highly enjoyable to read two words in a row that begin with the same letter.

b) The conventional wisdom take on Obama by members of the Washington media is that he is, unlike them, an elite.

c) It is considered good writing to adopt the conventional wisdom take and repeat it unquestioningly.

d) In the run up to every general election, Maureen Dowd will imply that the Democratic nominee is effeminate, and thereby help to elect the GOP nominee whose claims to be tough she will credulously believe, and only roughly 18 months into the latter's administration will she realize that the election was, in fact, more than just a proxy for her sexual fantasies, and then she will begin attacking the Republican president, leading liberals who don't read her enough to believe that "Maureen Dowd is great!"

Answer: all of the above.


5. In paragraph six, Dowd writes: "Obama may have started the primary season with an inspiring win in 94-percent-white Iowa, but he is winding it up with a resounding loss in 94-percent-white West Virginia."

What is device called?

a) Antiphon

b) Insight

c) Sing-song

d) Analysis

Answer: a) and c)


6. What does this paragraph mean?

Answer: nothing....

http://www.236.com/news/2008/05/15/maureen_dowd_the_readers_guide_6535.php

[defendandprotect]

1. The NY Times ended Dowd's increasing attacks on Bush a good while back . . .

kind of wiped out her column . . . and presume she is now being a good girl --- ???

I don't know cause I no longer read the NY Times ---

[DeepModem Mom]

2. I have to admit I can't be of much help. I do read the NYT and post articles, but...

I stopped reading Maureen Dowd when our campaign started, and she started savaging our candidates. That, of course, is what she does -- savage. But IMO her schtick is getting stale, and she's nowhere near as clever as she once was -- or, as this piece says, as she thinks she is.

[defendandprotect]

3. Personally, I think her an odd duck ...

I've read the NYTimes every day since I was 16!! Long time ago!!
When they took on Karl Rove, I gave up---

Now I rely on others to tell me when there is something that should be responded to--
I still respond with letters to the Editor ---

Frank Rich and Maureen Dowd both had something going a few years back at the NY Times ---
Dowd made a turn around from her prior hateful self and began attacking Bush --
it paid off for her with new and loyal interest in her OP-ED page columns --
I don't know that they were so hilarious, but they helped us all vent our feelings of disgust
for this administration. Dowd got a book deal out of it --

As their popularity grew with both providing anti-Bush fervor an odd thing happened . . .
the NY Times pretty much PULLED both of their columns. They moved both of their top OP-ED
columnists --

In fact, they moved Frank Rich off of the Op-Ed page and into the Arts Section!!!
They limited and changed the days when Dowd would appear -- they both began to be hard to find.

Reminds me of MSNBC killing their #1 show -- Phil Donahue ... !!!

And I'm sure we don't need to GUESS at why all this happens . . . ?? !!!

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Thanks for the reminder of that NYT history with their columnists.

You're right -- and I hadn't thought of all that in a while.

[Miss Authoritiva]

5. A classic takedown!

Thanks for the link. MoDo's self-indulgence is extraordinary. Content and coherence get sacrificed to whatever thematic "witticisms" she wants to play with in that day's column.

Think of it: When was the last time MoDo addressed an actual policy issue in her column? Apparently, policy issues ruin her French tips, and so, an op/ed columnist whose work appears twice weekly in the paper of record of the lone superpower in the world doesn't "do" policy issues.

Waste of space.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Well said! nt