Before we leave this subject entirely…
The governor’s memoir is one thing. We don’t expect much from it, and we probably won’t be disappointed. But there was a time when I expected something from the nation’s leading newspapers. I still do, from some. But it looks like The New York Times has fallen down on the job. Big-time.
I thought that maybe, after all the hagiographic, fawning coverage the national media had given our governor during the election campaign last year (“She’s a woman! An Indian-American woman! In the South! And she’s a reformer — she said so!”), that maybe the NYT was starting to get it when they subtitled a piece awhile back, with this bitter truism: “Nikki Haley, the governor of South Carolina, doesn’t care what you think.”
But over the weekend, the Times came out with a piece that was worse, shallower, more sycophantic, than anything we saw last year. The lede:
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Nikki Haley, at 39 the nation’s youngest governor, loves her iPod.
It gets worse from there. Get this:
She has built a governorship on aggressive budget cutting, a relentless pursuit of job growth and a cheerleader’s enthusiasm for a state that often finishes toward the back of the pack in education, economics and health.
“We are now what every state is going to want to look like,” Ms. Haley said in an interview in her office almost six months into her administration.
I don’t even know what it means. Does it mean that she cheers for the fact that her state “finishes toward the back of the pack in education, economics and health,” and that she thinks other states envy us because of that? The first part may be accurate, but could even Nikki Haley think the second part?
Check this:
She has repeatedly said she is not interested in being a vice-presidential running mate on the 2012 Republican ticket, but her name is already etched into the list of future party leaders.
And etched in our hearts, as well. And this:
Back home, legislators say her administration is a refreshing change from the tumultuous days of her predecessor, Mark Sanford, whose uncooperative relations with elected officials is legend around the Statehouse. She has also received good marks for fighting to lowerMedicaid costs and for many of her cabinet appointments.
No really, it actually says that. Whom did they talk to? Which legislators said she was a “refreshing change,” or any kind of a change?
Who wrote this? Rob Godfrey?
It ends with this standard from her stump speech:
“You can feel the energy. You can feel the buzz,” she said. “It’s because people are incredibly excited about their government and elected officials are incredibly scared and it’s a beautiful thing.”
And that’s really the way she thinks. So that part was right. It didn’t tell us anything new, but it was accurate.
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OK, I was being facetious with my question, “Who wrote this?”
Here’s the actual answer to the question:
“Kim Severson is the Atlanta bureau chief for The New York Times. She joined the staff in 2004 to cover food, writing for the Dining section, the National section, Week in Review and others. Previously, she spent six years writing about cooking and the culture of food for the San Francisco Chronicle. Before that, she had a seven-year stint as an editor and reporter at The Anchorage Daily News in Alaska. She has also covered crime, education, social services and government for daily newspapers on the West Coast.
“Severson has won several regional and national awards for news and feature writing, including the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism for her work on childhood obesity in 2002 and four James Beard awards for food writing.”
Interesting that The Times has sunk so low to use a food critic to contrive a piece about politics.
Actually, it may be a by-product of Severson’s career path in that the whole piece made me want to vomit.
I thought the piece was absolutely surrealistic, meeting the classic definition of representing the subconscious mind by creating fantastic imagery and juxtaposing ideas that seem to contradict each other.
I do not believe Kim Severson’s career can profit by this. Nikki’s is enhanced, which is a particularly bitter way to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the start of the War Between the States (as in Yankee revenge).
And, I wonder, is this the five hour newspaper interview Nikki scheduled in New York — which was her higher priority than staying home and helping the Legislature finishing up the veto process?
I just realized I called the interview a “piece” rather than an “article” or a “news story.”
Guess that was a bit on unconscious editing on my part, because I thought it was a real piece of — well, you know.
The Severson article was one of the worst I’ve ever read in the NY Times. For example, Severson provided no evidence to support such claims as “relentless pursuit of job growth.” As far as one can tell from the article, Severson says this is true because Haley told her it was true. Since when do NY Times reporters take someone’s word for something like that? Would they report that “Romney has always opposed requirements that individuals purchase health insurance” if he told them that? The claim that Haley has been diligent in pursuit of jobs would be about as easy to debunk. Apparently Severson was not just charmed, but infatuated.
How can she win awards for food writing. This article demonstrates her extremely poor taste.
Kim Severson must think that “Nikki Haley” is a recipe for an exciting new entree that she hasn’t tried. For if she tried it, she would realize that (much like the fancy pastries in a Japanese cafe) it looks a whole lot better than it tastes.
I think Severson got the “cheerleader” part right though, ’cause Haley’s much more that, than an actual player on the field.
Reading that article, I’m struck by how these Republicans seem to get this strange pleasure listening to (and even using as ceremonial accompaniment) songs by pop music stars who despise their politics. Not sure if Ms. Severson meant literally that Ms. Haley used Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down,” but it’s a fact that Petty already told George W. Bush to stop using his song and just this month had to tell Michele Bachmann to quit using “American Girl” at her campaign appearances. And Ms. Haley’s fondness for Joan Jett? and Black-Eyed-Peas? Come on, they hate everything Haley stands for. Is it some odd form of triumphalism that motivates these right-wingers to wallow in the music of confirmed lefties?
Look, GOPers: you get to keep country music. That’s it. We get all the other 95% of pop music throughout history. Got it?
Mr. Warthen,
Concur, but that’s what comes from having a food editor write about politics.
…..a most odious recipe indeed.
What would NYT be saying about Vincent Sheheen by now, Brad?
Is he not just another lawyer? Hasn’t SC has been at the bottom of the pack in education the entire time Vincent has been in public office?
Has Vincent been nationally vocal in his disgust/support for Obama’s NLRB suit with Boeing?
Like other lawyers, Vincent is a highly networked pawn in a parasitic, politically self-serving profession.
According much economic competence to lawyers is tantamount to giving termites construction licenses.
Wow.. is that how low the print media has sunk these days?
Editor: “Hey, food lady, give me 1000 words on Nikki Haley, quick!”
Food writer: “What restaurant does she own?”
Editor: “She’s the governor of South Carolina! Look, we need something to fill the pages between the ads. Just Google her and make something up.”
Food writer: “I’m on it….” tap…tap… tap… “Thank you, Wikipedia!”
Print journalism is dead.
Actually, I think the problem for the NYT is a lot deeper than simply the writing; was the editor pinch hitting from the Fashion section or something? To wit the construct “Back home, legislators say her administration is a refreshing change from the tumultuous days of her predecessor” is something which cannot be combined with Nikki’s quote that “elected officials are incredibly scared and it’s a beautiful thing.”
Or maybe Nikki’s saying she subliminally thinks it’s scary that she could have been elected Governor, but she’s happy to ride it for all its worth?
So Brad still hasn’t gotten over his case of NDS (Nikki Derangement Syndrome) yet.
Most of us normal people out here across South Carolina are able to go about our lives just fine without obsessing over this and that about Governor Haley. In fact most regualr folks I know really don’t have a problem with her and certainly don’t waste their time looking for any of these little things to obsess over.
Kate Kate Kate!
Anyone who is familiar with Lexington County anything would not have voted for her UNLESS they knew what would be coming down the pike for them to ride to stardom, because they are the ones *bringing it down the pike* (aka the tool Alan Wilson/formerly with the 11th Circuit Court of Death and Terror).
I did see a lot of clueless church ladies waving Haley signs outside of Mt. Horeb on election day, though. Not clueless for being church ladies or even for being ladies — but clueless for believing what crooked operatives around here tell them.
By “regular” folks does Kate mean people who eat bran?
Because some of us “other” folks have sour stomaches as Haley’s evasive half-truths continue to mount.
Or do Kate’s “regular” folks not care that Haley was rat-finking Kenny Bingham out to Mark Sanford precisely when she was taking money under the table from Wilbur Smith, and Wilbur Smith and Bingham’s business were competing for some state contracts?
Or do “regular” folks not care that Haley dumped Darla Moore from the USC board in favor of a Lexington lawyer-contributor?
Or that Miss Transparency in Government does not bother to inform the public that her idea of a State Inspector General failed only weeks after her announcement because the IG was thwarted by her office? I guess the kids running her office with payraises above Sanford’s levels just didn’t think the people would care that the guy quit.
I would hate to be a “regular” guy in Kate’s eyes.
Interesting piece here:
http://educatingsouthcarolina.blogspot.com/
Any idea who the blogger is, Brad?
PS – my home email has changed, but this is still the same Claudia.
I have no idea, Claudia. Very thorough, though…
I didn’t realize that NYT fluff pieces are just lifted from Facebook “About Me” sections. I guess the remix culture isn’t what it use to be.
@ Phillip–you clearly didn’t get the memo– The Republicans relinquished stately string chamber music (the sort with clinking crystal and silverware in the background while cultured voices murmur smugly) and trumpet fanfares back in the Reagan era, when they just became reg’lar folks. That’s when they grabbed country music. This country music hegemony continued through the pork-rind-eating Bush eras. It was the rise of the Soccer Moms, who listen to Lite Rock in their Chevrolet Suburban Subdivisions that first introduced the genre to Republican ears. Joe the Plumber completed the circle, bringing in the more masculine heavier rock and country rock–
Democrats are left with the NPR/PBS staples: classical,jazz, world music, and space music. Some pop music remains, specifically Lady Gaga and any other gay icons. However, any act that has done a pledge drive special reverts to the Republicans.
Hip hop, so far, remains the domain of Urban Democrats, but watch this space–the Republicans may decide to rethink their Southern Strategy as non-urban whites lose their majority status in the upcoming years….
@Phillip – I’m sure every Republican is upset that the GOP doesn’t have Justin Beiber or Beyonce on their side.
@Kathryn – So all these rich Wall Street types are listening to Willy Nelson and AC/DC?
Most likely– They are hard-charging types–not like the Connecticut forbears of the GOP. George HW Bush’s daddy most likely enjoyed the sort of high society orchestras featured at debutante balls, and the like, with some hundred-or-more year old classical music thrown in for the mix….
OK, it was off the record, but I have to share this…
This morning over breakfast at the club, Joel Sawyer — former press sec to Mark Sanford, now SC campaign manager for Jon Huntsman — confessed that if the folks at GOP HQ ever saw his personal playlist, they’d be shocked.
He’s really into hiphop. We had a brief discussion after that about the Geto Boys. Which I only know about because of “Office Space,” which if you’ll recall was about white geeks who listen to rap in a vain effort to be cool. Which is a good description of my limited relationship with hiphop.
Now I’ve told you, because you, the people, have a right to know. I hope this doesn’t lead to a scandal that causes bradwarthen.com to shut down.
I have never seen NYT publish anything as sorry as this piece. I hope they are ashamed.
@ martin–obviously you don’t regularly read the Style section…it’s totes puffery of the sort even the NYT publishes in its Features sections (formerly the women’s pages, I think—because wimmens can’t reason so good, so you gots to just say it all nice so they don’t get riled up or confused–could be their hormones!!!)
Give it time, Kate. I suspect sooner or later something she has done or will do will cut through the haze of oblivion surrounding most ‘regular’ people in our state.
I guess ‘regular’ people aren’t on medicaid, because I think they’ve already noticed. ‘Regular’ people must not work for state agencies or collect unemployment or work in healthcare either, I guess. I wonder what regular people do? Maybe own beachfront property on Debordieu island or own school transportation companies. I think those regular people are pretty happy with Haley’s choices, so far.
Most likely regular people are just not paying attention to the details, which is a shame. Who knows what will be left when they decide to notice?
I understand that the lake house of our gov’s sister is for sale for a mere $1.9 million. That includes the 13,000 sf main house with its six BRs as well as a five BR guest house. How’s that for “regular” living?
I winced when I read the piece in the NYT; but every news organization has its share of less-talented writers. As far as I know, they aren’t hacking anyone’s cell phone.
Can’t ding her for her sister’s house, in all fairness.
Can wonder if that $1.9 MM is on the resume scale ($100K salary per year) or the tax reporting scale ($25K salary per year).
How is Haley’s sister’s house relevant to anything she does as governor? Is this Billy Carter all over again?
Roger Clinton
OMG! I am so glad that I was on vacation, technically, a personal mission, this past weekend to see the final Space Shuttle launch.
The more SC Governot Nikki Haley opens her mouth, the more I am thinking about leaving South Carolina for four years and returning. She’s worse than former governot Mark Sanford.
She is her best fan. She has a bigger ego than Rush Limbaugh! According to her, she can do no wrong. She doesn’t listen to critics; she doesn’t learn from others.
Geez! What a blowhard!
I love South Carolina! I was born and raised, also in her home town. Except for 9 months in Cedar Rapids, IA, I’ve lived here my entire life. It’s just painful that we have a fracking idiot as Governot of South Carolina!