Vox Executive Editor Matthew Yglesias is on vacation at his father’s home in Brooklin, Maine with his wife and infant son, Jose, whose birth made him think abortion should be way easier than it is. This morning Yglesias was consumed — not by the goo goo sounds of his little dumpling — but by ESPN’s Nate Silver.
Please, Vox. Don’t even think about making Yglesias a mommy blogger.
First off, you’re on vacation, Yglesias. You can’t take a morning off from your thoughts and give us a breather as well?
Secondly, you’re on vacation and thinking about Nate Silver? What is the matter with you?
I should mention that I’m out on vacation currently, with my wife and baby Jose visiting my dad at his house in Brooklin, Maine (aka the Brooklyn of Maine). Everything is lovely although, of course, it turns out that the meaning of “taking a vacation” changes quite a bit when you are caring for an infant. For example, right now he is napping so I’m sitting here typing up a newsletter.
Yglesias said Silver had a “great piece” that analyzes why Donald Trump’s poll numbers do not mean that he’s going to win the nomination. However, one aspect of that “great piece” that Yglesias didn’t enjoy was the part where Silver has a “surly notion that it’s wrong for the media to be interested in these Trump polls.”
In his story, Silver lays out all the reasons that the media are morons for paying attention to polls on Trump. Some examples — several candidates will drop out before Iowa, and we’re 174 days from the Iowa Caucuses.
“This is why it’s exasperating that the mainstream media has become obsessed with how Trump is performing in these polls,” Silver explained.
This is when Yglesias dove into deep psychoanalysis.
“I think a healthy share of Silver’s annoyance represents his somewhat blinkered failure to recognize that there are any worthwhile endeavors in life other than predicting things and gambling,” wrote the vacationing Yglesias.
Oh, worthwhile endeavors like turning off your obnoxious gadgets so your family can get the full experience of your undivided attention?
Yglesias argued that polling helps reporters understand “the thinking of a significant swathe of the electorate,” which he thinks is worth paying attention to.
Zzzzzzzzzzzz.
Now how about that vacation Yglesias?