Spin Award Nominee

David Brooks has an unusually balanced column today. Still he manages to get in a marvel of pro-Bush spin, calling Bush's mind "more abstracted from day-to-day reality" than Kerry's. Wow. You'd think Bush is applying to be the Dalai Llama or a buddhist monk or something. "Abstracted" over "he doesn't pay attention to reality" is quite the spin accomplishment.

Andrew Sullivan makes an excellent point about the whole abstracted thing:

...it is Kerry who is the practical conservative in this race; and Bush who is the airy-fairy idealist. If Bush didn't have the abstract theological support of evangelical Christians, he wouldn't have a, well, prayer.

The Brooks column was also notable (or not notable perhaps) for its usage of a cultural or professional stereotype to make a point.

The atmosphere of Kerry's mind is rationalistic. He thinks about how to get things done. He talks like a manager or an engineer.

The atmosphere of Bush's mind is more creedal or ethical. He talks about moral challenges. He talks about the sort of personal and national character we need in order to triumph over our enemies. His mind is less coldly secular than Kerry's...

But I thought Bush was the manager president? I'm all confused.