Maron VS Seder VS Ana Marie Cox

In the most recent episode of Seder VS Maron, liberal commentators Sam Seder and Marc Maron touched on the unseriousness of certain pundits. This is a subject they have spoken about before and is a particular pet peeve for Sam. Sam has been very open about his disdain towards pundits like Maureen Dowd and Ana Marie Cox who have a tendency to trivialise politics by elevating charisma and superficial presentation over the serious implications of policy. I often get introspective during these times as the nature of this blog may be seen as trivialising politics.

In this latest episode Sam lets rip on Ana Marie Cox, (founding editor of DC Gossip site, Wonkette). It is particularly awkward, as Marc Maron has worked professionally and is personally friendly with Ana Marie. Sam was set off when Marc mentioned that he had dinner with Ana Marie and her husband, and that she expressed a fondness for John McCain. There was a back and forth discussion on charisma, and the role it plays in politics. Their was a sober acknowledgment that ultimately people will vote based on superficial presentation. Sam concedes as much but his main quarrel is towards the pundit class who he feels should be elevating discourse higher than the trivial.

Maron and Seder being pragmatic about charisma in politics

MARON: It all comes around even to the Clintonian criticism of Barack Obama's charisma...whatever's anyone's history is in the legislature most Americans are only going to respond to a gut level of what they sense about a person. That's just the way it is buddy. It's not the way people vote in this country. So I can understand your aggravation...
SAM: You know what? That part doesn't bother me as much...as the Ana Marie Cox thing. I accept that there are people who are going to vote based on charisma and things that aren't terribly important. I accept that... to me what is inexcusable, for someone to perceive themselves with any type of integrity to have that same opinion when they're actually responsible for disseminating information to people who actually want more than that.

Maron and Seder take politics seriously

SAM: You can't do it with Ana Marie Cox, because her agenda is apolitical. This political writer for Time Magazine, her agenda is completely apolitical. For her, it's like "I'm just hoping for a good game, I just want to watch a good game." That's fine if you're talking about football and baseball but there there is actually something, there are implications to politics as a game...
MARON: There's a lot at stake. The stakes are higher.
SAM: Yes significantly higher, the notion that she perceives herself as a political journalist and society perceives her that way but yet she views all this as meaningless. And I know she does...I sat on a panel with her... 2, 3 years ago which is why I have developed this attitude towards her. I heard her say "politics is stupid"...

Listen to the excerpted audio of Sam and Marc talking about Ana Marie Cox

Listen to the full Maron VS Seder episode, courtesy of Jmach1JP
Go to Time's Ana Marie Cox bio
Go to previous Sam Seder rants on Maureen Dowd and Ana Marie Cox
Listen to Sam talking about his experience with Ana Marie Cox