Digby weighs in

I just love her.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/

So I hear that Village High Commissioner Tim Russert declared that we have a Democratic nominee. The real leadership of our nation --- the punditocricy -- have handed down their decision. Hallelujah!
[ . . . ]
Look, I have the same analysis of the outcome of the elections in Indiana and North Carolina that most people have this morning. Clinton's best argument --- which was essentially that the voters were taking a second look at Obama and showing some buyers remorse --- didn't pan out last night. And there's nothing wrong with political junkies sitting around the virtual pot-bellied stove and saying the race is "over" or exhorting her to drop out. We're citizens and, in some cases, political players. There is, however, something unbelievably distasteful about a handful of powerful, millionaire, celebrity pundits "declaring" such a thing and having the paper of record breathlessly report it as if it was decisive and meaningful.

Who the fuck anointed Tim Russert as the final arbiter of anything? His job is to analyze the political landscape not declare the decision as if he were some kind of Roman Emperor giving a thumbs up or thumbs down. It's bad enough that these gasbags put those thumbs on the scale as hard as they do, but actually taking the initiative to say when the race is over is even worse.

It may be that last night really was the tie breaker that showed that Obama's campaign could withstand some harsh press and rebound from setbacks. It's not a bad thing for Democratic voters to test that out and give him some practice. If he's the nominee and then the president, he's going to have to get used to it. But if it is the end, as I think many of us suspect, it's for Senator Clinton to be the one to declare it, not Tim Russert or any other fatuous overpaid Village gasbag who is no more insightful or informed than any of you.

The idea floating around, even in the blogosphere, that once Tim Russert "says it" then it's true is so galling that I can hardly keep from projectile vomiting. Giving him that power will come back to bite us hard down the road.