Micro-parsing: The Way to News Salvation

What is infinitely bothersome this campaign season is how the words of Senators Clinton, McCain, and Obama are micro-parsed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Meanings are pulled out of non-meanings. Non-ideas pulled out of ideas. So on and so forth. Case in point: Senator Obama’s words at a town hall meeting in Johnstown, Pennsylvania last Saturday. Consider the following that he said (via The Brody Files):

When it comes specifically to HIV/AIDS, the most important prevention is education, which should include — which should include abstinence education and teaching the children — teaching children, you know, that sex is not something casual. But it should also include — it should also include other, you know, information about contraception because, look, I’ve got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby. I don’t want them punished with an STD at the age of 16. You know, so it doesn’t make sense to not give them information.

Watch the video here to get the rhythm of the statement. I read Senator Obama’s words and watched the video and nothing jumped out at me as alarming. But to David Brody at The Brody Files (part of the Christian Broadcast Network website), something is amiss:

I understand Obama was talking off the cuff and these were not prepared remarks. I also know that when you’re on the campaign trail 20 hours a day you will say something you wish you hadn’t. But still. “Punished with a baby?” That just doesn’t sound right. Why use the word punished? I would think that word would be alarming to people and possibly offensive to those who have had babies out of wedlock.

And then:

Later on, when speaking about abortion he (Obama) did refer to his daughters as “miracles” when he said:

“This is a very difficult issue, and I understand sort of the passions on both sides of the issue. I have two precious daughters - they are miracles.”

I’m an assistant high school football coach. Two players a year ago got their 16 year old girlfriends (the guys were 16 also) pregnant. And those girls were definitely “punished” in the sense that their teenaged lives drastically altered. No school dances. No extracurricular activities. Motherhood thrust upon them when they were not ready. And that lack of motherhood readiness in today’s society frequently feels like punishment. They even said as much when they approached me and I listened to their laments. YET they both fought through that initial phase and are toughing it out now. Both girls are juggling high school and motherhood. In one case, the guy is supportive and there with her. In the other case, the guy has shirked his responsibilities. But is using the word punished in the context Senator Obama used it “offensive to those who have had babies out of wedlock”? And then Mr. Brody proceeds with the “Does He Care About His Children” test.

My dear Americans…

Yes running for the Presidency and being the President of the United States is extremely visible. But not everything these candidates say imply something else. It is what it is. But micro-parsing is good for MSM and the blogosphere. Look at me. I’m writing about the micro-parsing.

Go figure.