Just sayin'

One reason the NY Times Opinion Page is so boring.

Look at those sleepy eyes! Bob Herbert is even putting himself to sleep!

A blog called "The Stopped Clock" says that Herbert isn't boring...it's his subject matter!
I quote: "Here's my counter-challenge to the Washington Monthly - take any popular columnist and have that columnist cover Bob Herbert's beat for a year."
Stopped Clock says that's going to be some heavy lifting. Indeed, writing about black kids who were arrested while walking to a friend's funeral for what seemed like an entire summer (that was 2007) would cause any columnist to start scratching out his veins with a Bic pen.
Here's the thing: Bob Herbert isn't mind-crushingly boring because of what he writes about. I think the Times' Timothy Egan could write about Bob Herbert every week for a year, and I'd read it! Bob Herbert is boring because he never says anything interesting. When was the last time he took a stand on an unpopular issue, thought of a new idea, or advanced the discussion in a single, meaningful way? Reading Bob Herbert is like listening to the droning of your steadfast, boring Great Uncle Wallie at dinner--he's moral, he's a nice person, his heart's in the right place, but when was the last time he had any fun? Would you want to listen to Great Uncle Wallie every Tuesday and Saturday morning? That's what I thought.
This kind of writing is why I get mad at Bob Herbert:

With less than a month left until Election Day, there is still time for the presidential candidates to focus with great intensity on what should be the most important issue of this campaign. It’s not just the economy, stupid — it’s jobs.

Clearly insightful. Jobs...are good! Presidents...should care more about us! The economy...needs to provide jobs! And...I'm drooling. One more example of why even the best writers need an editor.