Here’s a nice counÂterÂpoint to our post last week covÂerÂing Susan Jacoby’s new book The Age of AmerÂiÂcan UnreaÂson and her lament that AmerÂiÂca has declined into a morass of anti-intelÂlecÂtuÂalÂism and low expecÂtaÂtions.
Let’s set the scene: A reporter selects a young Barack ObaÂma supÂportÂer at a ralÂly and starts pepÂperÂing him with quesÂtions about the canÂdiÂdate. And it all feels like a staged effort to demonÂstrate that the mobiÂlized youth has no real hanÂdle on the issues. He’s just blindÂly buyÂing the hype. WithÂout wastÂing time, the reporter leads the young man into a conÂverÂsaÂtion on the comÂplexÂiÂties of health care. It’s the perÂfect setÂup. But then it sudÂdenÂly becomes clear that the reporter chose the wrong kid (who is a natÂuÂralÂized immiÂgrant, by the way) to play the fool. Watch the video below (and check out this folÂlow up video that gives you more of the back stoÂry).
