LAT Columnist Prefers Presidents that are Fat and Undisciplined
From the Los Angeles Times op-ed “The (over)exercise of power” by Jonathan Chait:
A week ago, when President Bush met with Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III to interview him for a potential Supreme Court nomination, the conversation turned to exercise. When asked by the president of the United States how often he exercised, Wilkinson impressively responded that he runs 3 1/2 miles a day. Bush urged him to adopt more cross-training. “He warned me of impending doom,” Wilkinson told the New York Times.
Am I the only person who finds this disturbing? I don’t mean the fact that Bush would vet his selection for the highest court in the land in part on something utterly trivial. That’s expected. What I mean is the fact that Bush has an obsession with exercise that borders on the creepy.
I suppose that if Bush had inquired about Wilkinson’s children instead, Chait would have written a column taking him to task for promoting reproduction only in the context of heterosexual marriage. And just in case Chait is holding something back for next week’s piece — “cross” training is not religious schooling, but doing exercise activities other than running.
But to answer Chait’s question — yes, I do find find it creepy that a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times sees fit (pun intended) to criticize anyone (including the President) for a regimen of physical fitness. Chait says “The notion of a connection between physical and mental potency is, of course, silly.” But according to one of the best hospitals in the country, the Cleveland Clinic, “researchers have found that exercise can decrease depression, increase self-confidence, decrease stress and anxiety, enhance mood and improve overall mental health.” (Do we have a copy of “Google for Dummies” we can send Mr. Chait? — ed.)
Speaking personally, I believe that taking care of one’s well-being is an important sign of character and something I wouldn’t mind seeing in our leaders.
By now, everyone should know a significant cause of increasing medical costs is unhealthy lifestyles — especially obesity. Is it wrong to address root causes — such as lack of exercise — in one’s life or to encourage others to do so? Would Chait criticize the President for suggesting that people stop smoking or eating Sugar Pops for breakfast?
Chait also proposes that because Bush had privately commented on economic advisor Lawrence Lindsey’s lack of exercise, that was the reason the President fired Lindsay. That’s quite a leap.
I’m not sure what is more “creepy,” being so desperate to deride the President that Chait portrays exercise as a negative, or that he might really believe that an interest in exercise is twisted and unusual. Either way, here’s a tip for Mr. Chait: stretching the truth and exercising poor judgment do not burn off calories. If you are concerned with your well-being then you’ll have to work-out just like the President does.
Finally, Chait ends his silly editorial with this:
Unfortunately, most of us have more demanding jobs than he does.
To which Independent Sources issues this challenge. If Mr. Chait emails us his typically weekly schedule, we will find him 30 minutes a day to exercise. If we do, Mr. Chait agrees to follow the regimen for one month and then tell us if his health has improved. If we don’t then Independent Sources will (at one sitting) eat two Tommy’s cheeseburgers, drink two soft drinks, and write a completely irrelevant attack on the President’s character and publish it right here. (You can email us at: contact [at] Independent Sources [dot] c o m).
Addendum: Maybe we have found the real reason for The Times immense distaste for Governor Schwarzenegger: his interest in physical fitness.
Addendum 2: Chait says “The notion of a connection between physical and mental potency is, of course, silly. (Consider all the perfectly toned airheads in Hollywood …)”. But that’s the LAT’s target demographic! Hasn’t he learned not to insult the customers?
Update: Michelle Malkin and Blogmeister USA have some thoughts …
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(H/T: The Undergrad)
Technorati: bush exercise los angeles times
Update: We’re still looking for a credible source to tell us exactly how much time Bush spends training a day, but in researching the subject we learned this.
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July 22nd, 2005 at 11:19 am
I heartily agree. Here is my take on the same topic:
http://blogmeisterusa.blogspot.com/2005/07/jonathan-chait-bush-exercises-too-much.html
July 22nd, 2005 at 5:32 pm
Thanks for commenting on my posting on this topic.
July 22nd, 2005 at 5:50 pm
I disagree. Ample amounts of excercise is not creepy or obsession. Its called STAYING HEALTHY. We are the fattest country in the world and probably in history…we need to start getting obsessed with excercise. But if you want to get fat than proceed to eat your big macs cause whats really creepy is seeing these people at the beach…now THATS creepy.
July 22nd, 2005 at 7:09 pm
Better Stock Up On The Mental Butt Wipes . . .
. . . if you plan to keep reading the new Op-Ed section of the Los Angeles Times. At least that is what you could glean from the comments section to my post on past inanities from John Carrol, the Times’ retiring Editor. Actually, I was just trying to…
July 22nd, 2005 at 8:08 pm
I read this at the Let’s Run website. This is crazy. I’d cancel my subscription to the Times if I had one. I picture a bunch of crusty old farts who stopped exercising after they took their last PE class 50 years ago and view running somehow below their journalistic excellence they practice so much.
Support running not fatness!
July 22nd, 2005 at 10:16 pm
by the comparisons between Kerry falling off his 10-speed on a Washington street and Bush falling off a mountain bike riding up a hill composed of soft sand? I’d be checking into the reasons behind all of your concern. We don’t buy it any more. independentsources.com also thinks it odd that Bush is critisized for something worthy of praise. I guess I’m not the only one who is disturbed at their being disturbed. Do we have the makings of a Monty Python sketch here?
July 23rd, 2005 at 5:49 pm
I totally agree. Chait is way out in left field with this one. I have my own response going at my site, www.patthorntonfiesl.com
Hopefully, Chait excepts this fitness challenge.
July 23rd, 2005 at 8:44 pm
Re: the comment above, I think the link to Pat Thorton should be www.patthorntonfiles.com/
July 25th, 2005 at 12:34 am
one of the primary solutions to it. Contradictions abound. I haven’t even mentioned Clinton yet. I don’t recall similar articles when he jogged daily (and stopped in McDonalds on the way). See, I said it was too easy. I’ll stop now. Read it. UPDATE: Independent Sources has more.
July 25th, 2005 at 11:30 am
I analyze the vacuous daily @ RightFromLeft.blogspot.com. Please check in early and often.
Now I’m off for my morning jog. Like the President, I have lots of time on my hands.
July 26th, 2005 at 7:48 am
What do you expect from an author who published an anti-Bush article in the NEW REPUBLIC titled “Chaitred.” Kinda tells you that he’s already made up his mind about the man - don’t confuse him with any facts. If George Bush were see walking on water, Jonathan Chait would write an article about how Bush can’t swim.
July 26th, 2005 at 8:54 am
“If George Bush were see walking on water, Jonathan Chait would write an article about how Bush can’t swim.”
Great quote.
July 26th, 2005 at 1:01 pm
is either a little tired of dinner-hour calls from the paper’s telemarketers or perhaps it was just a run of shoddy, biased reporting that prompted the posts. Either way, the critiques were flowing: LAT Columnist Prefers Presidents that are Fat and Undisciplined Jonathan Chait’s Times op-ed “The (over)exercise of power” stated that he thought President Bush’s discipline of getting regular exercise and encouraging others to do so were
December 15th, 2005 at 7:58 pm
[…] 172″> Chait Needs Exercise Too… Independent Sources has a challenge for Jonathan Chait, who appears […]
December 28th, 2005 at 6:08 pm
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January 13th, 2006 at 8:13 am
[…] ane columns such as this, the guy must have some serious issues.Update: The very good site Independent Sources has an excellent take on this story:But to answ […]