The Analogy Primary

So is the Obama-Hillary race the Mac versus the PC? Or is it Google versus Microsoft? Or is it The Wire versus Ugly Betty?

This seems like a debate tailor-made for David Brooks, and sure enough, he weighs in today:

... the essential competition in many consumer sectors is between commodity providers and experience providers, the companies that just deliver product and the companies that deliver a sensation, too. There’s Safeway, and then there is Whole Foods. There’s the PC, and then there’s the Mac. There are Holiday Inns, and there are W Hotels. There’s Walgreens, and there’s The Body Shop.

Even if you're sick of hearing candidates compared to consumer products, it's a good column.

Comments

A good column indeed. I feel like Lily Tomlin when she said, "I try to be cynical, but it's hard to keep up."

Posted by Robert Powell | February 8, 2008 12:45 PM

It's not his best work.

Lucky Charmers hold their spoons overhand-style and make slurping noises as they eat. Sometimes, they even try to pluck the marshmallows out with their fingers, because the marshmallows bob up and down in the milk, which makes it very hard to get them out with just a spoon. Sometimes, they don't even pour the cereal into a bowl and eat right out of the box.

Cheerioians, on the other hand, often eat their cereal entirely unadorned, even with sliced banana or strawberries. They use bowls from Pottery Barn, hold their spoons correctly, and read a major metropolitan newspaper or watch cable news while eating their breakfast cereal. They are lured by the boxes that promise lower cholesterol or healthier colons. They often drink orange juice from a glass, or coffee out of a mug. ...

I have been critical of President Bush, not because I have actual convictions, but because I have a pathological need to seem reasonable. But I have looked into President Bush's pantry, and I see a man who would go on the offense against Count Chocula, the Boo Berry ghost, or the Cookie Crisp wizard.

Posted by Elvis Elvisberg | February 8, 2008 1:14 PM

If "tailor-made for David Brooks" means "completely inane," I agree wholeheartedly.

Posted by Justin K. | February 8, 2008 1:23 PM

So, it comes down to a race between the bourgeois bohemians and the Joe Sixpacks. We can hope that the bbs will prevail, allowing the Joes to vote for McCain in November.

Posted by Peter Leavitt | February 8, 2008 1:43 PM

Yeah, isn't this Joe Sixpack vs. the Bobo's? I also see it's nice that Brooks is pushing the latest Village line about Obama supporters being lemmings in a cult.

Justin K has it right.

Posted by Mike P | February 8, 2008 1:57 PM

David Brooks and Peggy Noonan should tour the country doing live sex shows. It would be more entertaining and more productive than their post-Dumbya-fellating columns have been.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | February 8, 2008 2:35 PM

I look forward to future David Brooks columns in which he muses on the fact that Hillary's favorite Beatle was Paul, while Barack liked John best. Unless, of course, I have it completely backwards, in which case I'm sure Mr. Brooks will set me straight.

McCain, of course, doesn't prefer any of the Beatles - he's a Sgt. Barry Sadler man. Huckabee likes Al Green, but only the gospel period. And Mitt Romney likes the Monkees.

Posted by Ben | February 8, 2008 4:42 PM

Ben gets it almost right: "And Mitt Romney likes the Monkees."

No. Mitt's an Archies man all the way. (The Osmonds would be too obvious, and Marie's been a little messy since the '70s anyway.)

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | February 8, 2008 5:26 PM

Cat Stevens vs. Connie Stevens, the winner to run against Ray Stevens now that Craig Stevens is out of the race.
Anyone who knows all of these people should meet me in the bar.
I know, I'm too old to be blogging, but I'm tired of Tetris.

Posted by fougasseu | February 8, 2008 6:25 PM

Cat Stevens vs. Connie Stevens, the winner to run against Ray Stevens now that Craig Stevens is out of the race.
Anyone who knows all of these people should meet me in the bar.
I know, I'm too old to be blogging, but I'm tired of Tetris.

Posted by fougasseu | February 8, 2008 6:26 PM

fougasseu suggests: "Cat Stevens vs. Connie Stevens, the winner to run against Ray Stevens now that Craig Stevens is out of the race. "

In one of their biggest victories in the War On Terra the Bushpigs managed to ban the highly dangerous Cat Stevens from the country, so find a replacement.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | February 8, 2008 6:44 PM

It was definitely a laugh out loud op-ed. Didn't think he had it in him.

Posted by Lisa | February 8, 2008 10:43 PM

You may think Obama is a Mac, but he's really an iPod.

Posted by scm | February 9, 2008 1:03 AM

If Obama is a iPod then Hillary is a walkman and McCain? A transistor radio.
Most of all it makes Brooks an idiot.

Posted by Fahey | February 9, 2008 9:15 AM

Trust Brooks not to realize the import of his column. All of his choices have a clearly defined marketplace winner. So there's no contest.

Posted by Cal | February 9, 2008 11:05 AM

Clear evidence that David Brooks, clerk-apologist for Judge Invisible Hand, is having trouble cramming this square peg into his round hole.

At best, he's Captain Obvious; at worst, as here, he just doesn't get what moves people.

Posted by T.K. | February 11, 2008 6:04 AM