In which The Gay Recluse scores selected opinions in The Times.

Bob Herbert/Overkill and Short Shrift

The Short Version: Why can’t we get a grip?

In his words: “The challenge for the working press right now is to see if we can force ourselves past the overwhelming temptations of Wright and race and focus in a sustained way on some other important matters, like the cratering economy, metastasizing energy costs, the dismal state of public education, the nation’s crumbling infrastructure or the damage being done to the American soul by the endless war in Iraq.”

Score: D (Dated)
Herbert drones on about the usual stuff, which is problematic because 1) his prose is fatigued, 2) he ignores the reality that most people don’t read traditional news outlets anymore, and 3) appealing to our higher instincts is not going to win any races, which is to say we are all whores for something and Herbert would sound more credible if he just admitted it.

Gail Collins/Indiana Holiday

The Short Version: Let’s all take a gas-tax holiday!

In her words: “The point is particularly piquant when made by a guy who flies around the country in his wife’s private plane.”

The Score: A- (Amusing)
Although these are not exactly moving targets, Collins nails the Maverick and Clinton quite nicely on their hilarious gas-tax holiday proposals. Better yet, though Obama clearly looks better on the gas-tax front, we get the sense that Collins will happily support Obama or Clinton in the general election, which is pretty much how we’re looking at things these days.