Smarmy Style

I chose to write about Maureen Dowd because of her style.  She can write about nearly anything.  She's covered major political scandals (most notably the Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton's), but she can also write on more subtle subjects such as women in society.  She's also not afraid to cover sports.

Best of all, she can be just as fun writing about sedentary politicians and corrupt Chief Justices as she can writing about Keith Richards' surprising chivalry.  Everything is a joke, albeit one of those jokes that makes everyone in the room just a little uncomfortable because it's true and leaves a little pain in one's side.  Her jabs are pungent, and she can illustrate them in a video-less John Stuart style or more traditionally, depending on what's needed for the situation.

I do not agree with everything Dowd has ever written.  I do not agree with all of her points.  I do not,by any means, think she is the most effective sports writer on the planet.  I do not like to drown myself in women's studies with every other column.  But Dowd has many redeeming qualities to make up for that: most of which is style.

A little trick Dowd uses that I like: effective teasing.  She titles the blog appropriately, gives a synopsis that is slightly misleading, starts out with that synopsis, goes into a specific story, rounds the story out into a greater issue, and goes back to the specific example - tying it them together to end in a snarky comment.

Dowd's experience makes her credible for the most part, but her smarmy style makes her readable.