Open Letters to Media Pundits

Dear Chris Matthews,

It's no secret, you say a lot of dumb shit. Unlike some people, I don't believe it's because you're a moron or anything like that. You're not normally offensive in my view. The problem you have isn't that you don't think, it's that you think and speak simultaneously, and when you're doing a lot of hypotheticals, as you are wont to do to, that lands you in hot water. But I forgive you because you have such a childish (childlike? I can't decide which) enthusiasm for politics, for the horse race, and so do I, If I'm perfectly honest with myself, I prefer the media coverage of the elections to the actual policy battles. But can you really blame me? My majors were Art History and (German) Cultural Studies, I'm applying for media studies programs in grad school. Point is, media coverage matters thus, the horse race matters. But I digress.

Looking through a bunch of videos I had not seen on msnbc.com, I find a segment on Joe and Mika's program where you actually said something so succinct and eloquent that I fear you may have stolen someone else's idea. But until I'm proven wrong, you'll get the credit:

If this were a parliamentary system she (Senator Clinton) would go straight to Prime Minister.

Yes.

This is it.

No, really something about this idea has radically changed my view of this election. I'm still a supporter of Senator Clinton, and until the nominee is decided I will be but now I think I've come to the point that I won't be emotionally devastated if she's not the nominee.

What have you, Chris, made me realize? That not being president will not be the end of Senator Clinton's political career. She's a really smart legislator. She will continue to be a really smart legislator.

I tend to believe the best Congresspeople are those who know they will not be president, because they no longer have to care about how their decisions will play out on a national scale. They become much bolder in their actions and rhetoric. Look at Senator Kennedy, look at Senator Durbin, look at Senator Biden. Senator Clinton will get back to work after this, I know it. And she'll join these men as leaders of the party going forward.

After my dual disappointment in 2004, that Governor Dean lost the nomination and Senator Kerry lost the presidency, I don't know if I can get behind Senator Obama with the kind of passion other people in my age bracket can. But I was always comfortable voting for him come the general election. And, for what it's worth, the resentment I feared I would have, yeah, I don't think I'll have it anymore. Sorry, Chris, but I don't get a tingling sensation in my leg when I hear him speak. He doesn't connect with me like it did in 2004 when my parents and I watched the DNC on television together, turned to each other and said, "this man will be president." I cannot go back to that moment, but slowly, bit by bit, I'm getting there.

All I have left to say is:

Thank you, Chris.
Indira