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Ed Morrissey Defends Michelle Obama and Daughters Against Unfair Pedestrian Attacks

by Tommy Christopher | 3:09 pm, January 20th, 2011

» 35 comments

Earlier, I reported on right-wing blogger Jim Hoft‘s attack on Michelle Obama‘s dress, and the hypocritical conservative media culture that enables him. On the other side of the ledger, there’s the exceedingly decent Ed Morrissey, who today defends the First Lady against the Drudge-promoted, Hoft-repeated charge that she’s responsible for an uptick in pedestrian fatalities, and calls out The Daily Caller for implying that the Obama daughters are somehow to blame for another pedestrian danger, the de-icing disparity between their private school and the public school across the street.

The logic behind the first charge is twisted on its face. The general idea is that the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign has resulted in more people walking around, and thus, more people getting hit by cars. That’s a bit like saying that fertility treatments are responsible for higher murder rates. More people=more people to murder. Simple.

Beyond that, though, Ed points out (via OTB’s James Joyner) that the uptick in question was 0.4%, or seven additional fatalities.

He also takes on a Daily Caller headline that says “Ice cleared from outside Obama daughters’ school, but not from public school across the street:”

…the Daily Caller reports that an ice storm in DC left sidewalks very dangerous for pedestrians this week, with a few exceptions, one of those being the sidewalks in front of the prestigious private school Sidwell Friends. Their headline sets up an implication that the difference between Sidwell’s sidewalks and those of the public school across the street have something to do with the fact that the Obamas send their daughters to Sidwell

Ed points out that the discrepancy has nothing to do with the Obama daughters, and everything to do with the inherent differences between public schools, and well-heeled private ones.

We part ways, somewhat, in the solution to the problem:

Sidwell’s sidewalks got cleared because the responsibility for doing so rested with Sidwell alone, and so they acted. That’s the reason why people with the means to do so send their children to private schools — because of the accountability and performance. The Obamas send their daughters there because Sidwell takes care of its business; Sidwell didn’t take care of its business just because the Obamas send their daughters to the school. If Sidwell was less competent in that regard, parents would enroll their children elsewhere. In fact, the Sidwell lesson for today is how the private sector responds better to the needs of their consumers regardless of how influential those customers are — and emphasizes the need for more choice in primary education.

If Ed can figure out a way to guarantee every child a free, Sidwell-quality private education, and to pay for it, where do I sign? Until then, though, reforming public education is the best way to uphold the American ideal of equality, not subsidizing upper-middle-class flight to private schools at the expense of those who can’t afford it.

daily caller, ed morrissey, James Joyner, Michelle Obama, Sidwell Friends School

greg454

We don’t need our first lady playing health Nazi. I exercise because i CHOOSE TO! Get it? Free choice, just like the abortions liberals love so much.

Honestly, I wish mediaite would concentrate more on reporting the stories than in offering political commentary.
http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/2010/12/hugo-chavez-recovers-private-land.html
Tommy is Spenc

Tommy wrote:
“The logic behind the first charge is twisted on its face. The general idea is that the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign has resulted in more people walking around, and thus, more people getting hit by cars. That’s a bit like saying that fertility treatments are responsible for higher murder rates. More people=more people to murder. Simple.”

Or as dumb as people thinking that by using words like “attack”, such as your title Tommy, causes actual violence. I mean who is to blame here?

Anyway, Tommy, I thought this website was supposed to be about the media. I guess that has changed because I’ve noticed that you’ve got up on your soap box.

Tommy wrote:
“If Ed can figure out a way to guarantee every child a free, Sidwell-quality private education, and to pay for it, where do I sign? Until then, though, reforming public education is the best way to uphold the American ideal of equality, not subsidizing upper-middle-class flight to private schools at the expense of those who can’t afford it.”

LOL….oh man you “writers” are funny.

Since the elite in this country love using Europe as a comparison, let’s do this. In Europe, each child gets to choose which public school they want to go to. So the schools are competing to get the students. While in the USA, we are forced to go to one public school simply based on where we live.
perceptorii

There’s a reason why HotAir and Ed Morrissey are as highly regarded as they are. It’s refreshing to have a blog that can criticize without the baseless grenade-throwing that’s usually present in the political blogosphere.

As for Morrissey’s solution to the differing standards in deicing, I’m sure he would argue that some competition would force public schools to delegate some responsibility and put some butts on the line. Because when something is everyone’s responsibility, it ends up being everyone else’s responsibility.
paulmdoro

greg454 said:
We don’t need our first lady playing health Nazi. I exercise because i CHOOSE TO! Get it? Free choice, just like the abortions liberals love so much.

And isn’t she suggesting that more people should choose to exercise and eat healthier? I don’t think she’s holding a gun to anyone’s head and forcing them to run. And liberals don’t love abortions. That’s some disgusting rhetoric.
Tommy is Spenc

Tommy said:
“If Ed can figure out a way to guarantee every child a free, Sidwell-quality private education, and to pay for it, where do I sign?”

Can you please point to a “free education.” Education in the USA is not free. Someone pays for it. You are aware of that correct? The USA is fourth in the world for spending per primary student (avg of $6,043 per student) and third in the world for spending on secondary students (avg of $7,764 per student). Someone is paying for that. Yet we are 18th in the world in math, and 96 in geographical aptitude.

http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php

And in the overwhelming majority of cases, public schools spend almost double per student compared to what private schools spend, yet private schools consistently out do their public school counter-parts.
Tommy Christopher

Tommy is Spenc said:
Anyway, Tommy, I thought this website was supposed to be about the media.

It is. This piece clearly sets up the contrast between certain sectors of the conservative media.
lonestar77

Bahahaha! Tommy Christopher: Saving the world from some guy nobody has ever heard of. Not exactly superhero material but hey, not everybody can be Superman.

It’s amazing that you waste so much time, effort & space writing about these non-stories. All you are doing is showing how incredibly ridiculous the media’s (inculding you) coverage of the Arizona tragedy was. The more you try to draw parallels, the more nutty you seem.

Again, if you’re so worried about ridiculous reporting, here’s a story from a MSM newspaper:

http://www.page2live.com/2011/01/18/palm-beach-folks-of-giffords-doc-supported-tea-partier-christine-odonnell/

I mean, this guy is a columnist for the Palm Beach Post. He’s not some obscure blogger. Give it up, TC, you are continuing to embarrass yourself.
http://twitter.com/SailRabbits Magister

Tommy is Spenc said:
Since the elite in this country love using Europe as a comparison, let’s do this. In Europe, each child gets to choose which public school they want to go to. So the schools are competing to get the students. While in the USA, we are forced to go to one public school simply based on where we live.

Actually that’s more of a function of where you live. There are lots of school systems in the United States that have implemented some form of school choice. Unfortunately I also don’t have that option here, but I can point to other places, along with the charter concept and perhaps I personally can take some comfort from the fact that I chose where to buy my current house based upon the local school.
The_Reasonable_Lib

leave the children out of it?
WCinWI

Tommy is trying to repeat the pictorial meme that the Obama’s go to church. This is beyond odd.
WCinWI

The_Reasonable_Lib said:
leave the children out of it?

No. If the Palin kids are going to be used, then the Obama’s should now too.

I don’t believe in using kids at all, but I think it’s beyond trashy the way that the media has attacked the Palin clan so bring out the Obama kids.
blurgh.

WCinWI said:
I don’t believe in using kids at all, but I think it’s beyond trashy the way that the media has attacked the Palin clan so bring out the Obama kids.

You’re a paragon of reasonableness and virtue, good sir.
blurgh.

lonestar77 said:
I mean, this guy is a columnist for the Palm Beach Post. He’s not some obscure blogger. Give it up, TC, you are continuing to embarrass yourself.

Gateway Pundit is an irrelevant blog with a negligible readership. A print columnist at the 72nd largest daily newspaper in the United States, however, that is nothing short of wholly offensive.
perceptorii

WCinWI said:
No. If the Palin kids are going to be used, then the Obama’s should now too.

While there’s a certain logic in that and politics does sometimes take on a scorched earth utility to it, at some point you do have to try to convince people that you are at least a little better than the other guy. It’s not always the wisest option to stoop to your opponents’ level.
greg454

“And isn’t she suggesting that more people should choose to exercise and eat healthier? I don’t think she’s holding a gun to anyone’s head and forcing them to run.”

—Didn’t you hear the Department of Agriculture issuing new food guidelines? Don’t think she isn’t working behind the scenes. Either way, I don’t like nanny’s telling other people’s kids what to do.

“And liberals don’t love abortions. That’s some disgusting rhetoric.”

—Sure they do, many of them support partial-birth abortion. Look, as a libertarian I am pro-choice, but partial-birth abortions are too much.

http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/
OxyCon

lonestar77 said:
lonestar77 says:
January 20, 2011 at 4:08 pm (Quote)
3 3
Bahahaha! Tommy Christopher: Saving the world from some guy nobody has ever heard of.

Tommy has decided to singlehandedly take on the scourge of the few conservative blogs that most people have never heard of. (I think he’s never heard of “punching downward”).

I might be crazy here, but I don’t think “blogging about blogger’s blogs” is a good resume builder…unless your dream job is running in a hamster wheel in George Soros’ basement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHu8LAWSKxU
gjp

Free education?
Cost per student in Washington DC public schools: $24,606. http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/the-real-cost-of-public-schools/
Cost per student at Sidwell Friends: Middle and Upper Schools $32,069 http://www.sidwell.edu/admissions/tuition-and-fees/index.aspx

And I am sure the public school graduation rate is about the same as Sidwell
gottosay

totally confused about the comments….the article was about the first lady wanting a healthy America and people believing and going out side walking….then some one on the other side of the road gets hurt because the de-icing problems….I am real confused …why is this a story? moving on>>>>>
Yoda002

greg454 said:
We don’t need our first lady playing health Nazi. I exercise because i CHOOSE TO! Get it? Free choice, just like the abortions liberals love so much.

Thats just like the Republicans. There rhetoric is usually gutter talk. There is nothing too low for them.
Pablo

Tommy, didn’t you mean to say “Right wing site defends Michelle Obama”?
Pablo

gottosay said:
.I am real confused

Indeed.
Pablo

Tommy Christopher said:
It is. This piece clearly sets up the contrast between certain sectors of the conservative media.

Plus blogwar, bitches!
ROCKSTEADY

lonestar77 said:
It’s amazing that you waste so much time, effort & space writing about these non-stories

That is your opinion only.I myself like these kinds of stories,they and the people are why I come here.Keep up the good work Tommy!
ROCKSTEADY

WCinWI said:
attacked the Palin clan

The Palin “Clan” as you put it Thrust themselves onto the public scene.They made themselves the news.
ROCKSTEADY

greg454 said:
I don’t like nanny’s telling other people’s kids what to do.

You don’t like “Nanny’s”.May I ask what state you live in?And just what did you mean by this?
ROCKSTEADY

We have to keep Public schools.Its gotta be up to someone to give a chance for their future.Doesn’t mean we have to go broke just a chance.Alot of parents pay for tons of supplies.China is catching up fast.I would think all the Patriotic people would agree.
Pablo

ROCKSTEADY said:
You don’t like “Nanny’s”.May I ask what state you live in?And just what did you mean by this?

I believe greg454 means something like this.

ROCKSTEADY said:
We have to keep Public schools.Its gotta be up to someone to give a chance for their future.

So what do we do when they just don’t work? What do you do with a public school system (with one of the highest per spending rates around) that fails to put a high school diploma in the hands of more than 75% of its students?
ROCKSTEADY

Pablo said:
So what do we do when they just don’t work? What do you do with a public school system (with one of the highest per spending rates around) that fails to put a high school diploma in the hands of more than 75% of its students?

People need to be held responsible.Make sure we hire teachers who actually teach.Pay them more make it a feel good job you know like loving your country and making it better.
ROCKSTEADY

Pablo said:
I believe greg454 means something like this

And I do believe your answering for him.In your opinion.I ,in my opinion found it an interesting thing to say and would like to know what he ment by it.
Thelonious Funk

The biggest problem with the nanny state is Fran Drescher telling us all what to do.
skyfet

Why any one would take Hoft’s wretched work seriously is beyond me. Well, unless you have hatred in ya.
Pablo

ROCKSTEADY said:
People need to be held responsible.Make sure we hire teachers who actually teach.

Who’s going to tell the teacher’s union?

Pay them more make it a feel good job you know like loving your country and making it better.

Michigan teachers’ average salary is $54K per year, and they rank #4 in the Salary Comfort Index. Detroit schools are spending $2500 per student more than the state average.

Yep, let’s throw more money at the problem. Hell, let’s just give them everything we make and hope they do better.
Pablo

ROCKSTEADY said:
And I do believe your answering for him.In your opinion.I ,in my opinion found it an interesting thing to say and would like to know what he ment by it.

Yeah, that’s why I told you. It’s a pretty common usage.
greg454

Please don’t speak for me, what I meant is very clear. I don’t like the NANNY state telling me or the kids what to do. Ever heard of LIMITED government? If I ever have kids they’re gonna eat what I give them and they’re gonna exercise when I forced them and the last thing I need is Michelle Obama or anyone else getting involved. The same with education, I’ll send them to school but I’m gonna make sure they’re not indoctrinated into the Marxist propaganda some teachers like to teach.

http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/
Gasket

Why not indoctrinate them yourself? See how far that gets them in life. What a joke!