At least David Broder and Tom Friedman actually talked to their taxi drivers rather than simply studying their attire and facial expressions in an effort to surmise what “the people” felt about the issues of the day. But, still, while I think it’s understandable to mock writers who engage in “feelings journalism,” it seems like you can’t say anything about anyone anymore without everyone complaining of butthurt.
God forbid you should tell someone that you think they’re qualified to replace Jon Stewart despite their professions of self-doubt. Of course, Ester Bloom was obnoxious. Her whole point was that Jessica Williams’ humility was just an extension of a gender-wide malaise that causes women to see themselves as unqualified for positions that they’re well qualified to do.
Who is Bloom to give a Bill Frist-remote diagnosis of Williams’ psychological condition? And she had to bring race into it, just to make it more Terri Schiavo-worthy:
How modest! How self-effacing! You can almost hear all the old white people who benefit from the status quo nodding their approval. We did it, they whisper. We have succeeded in instilling in yet another competent, confident young woman a total lack of understanding of her own self-worth! We didn’t even need to undermine her; we gave her the tools and she undermined herself. Well done all. Good show. Let’s play eighteen holes and then hit up Hooters for lunch.
I admit that this is about as annoying as the left is capable of being. And Jessica Williams definitely didn’t need this shit.
But the truth is that she’s capable of doing the job. If she doesn’t want to be considered for it, that’s her business.
Maybe someone less clueless can encourage her to put her hat in the ring without implying that old white male golfers have robbed her of her self-esteem and agency.
And Hooters? Seriously?
