Such Touching, Tender Concern

Carol Platt Liebau | November 26, 2008 12:38 PM

We keep hearing about how, now that Barack Obama will be in "authority," the press will start offering him some of the skeptical, anti-authoritarian coverage that has characterized its coverage of presidents since Richard Nixon.

I've been skeptical.

And a spate of recent stories only bolsters the skepticism. Today, we are asked to empathize with the President-elect's desire to keep his BlackBerry, despite national security risks his use of it might present.

Even more remarkably, earlier this week, the Washington Post offered a piece dripping with concern for the poor President-elect. Its subhead? "Obama nourished his soul on a life of routine in Chicago, friends say. Now they hope he can find comfort in a city he has never embraced."

Before the press collectively melts into sobs of pity, let's all recall that no one forced Barack Obama to run for President (much less, win). For heaven's sake -- we're supposed to pity him for seeking and securing the presidency? Does anyone recall anybody worrying about George W. Bush "find[ing] comfort" in DC? (I thought not).

Yes, this is the skeptical coverage all of us can look forward to, no doubt.