Letters to the Editor
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Brilliant
This article is so spot on I'm carrying it in my wallet, emailing it to all my friends and posting it at the grocery store. Thanks!
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... not an endorsement of ....
One thing you can add is the inability of the mainstream press to give air time to more than two candidates.
When I watched both the BBC and NBC nightly news last night (Tues, Jan 8) I was struck by who wasn't mentioned - Mike Huckabee.
Last week's presumptive nominee was nowhere to be seen.
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Media as Candidate
Perhaps the most significant subplot of this election campaign is the voters' disgust with and rebellion against the media elites' presumption of kingmaking.
HRC may or not have won NH w/out the slobbering hate of the media, but being gleefully called a dead manipulative desperate bitch by the media certainly helped her.
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You get what you pay for.
So I think Brokaw will not be around long. I have no idea how explicit the instructions from the owners are, but it is clear that he is not part of the plan.
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Chris Matthews is right
You have said it all in one column and have explained to me and probably countless others why watching television news and opinion programs result in a sick and sad feeling of helplesness, cynicism, and rage.
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Camouflaged exit polling all day in MA
Probably in NH too. The radio and teevee commentary was consistent in the message that they can't publish the exit polling yet, BUT "things are looking really good for Obama an McCain".
Given that Obama is highly dependent on younger voters, I am convinced that this demographic was comforted by the reporting that so many votes were already cast for their guy that their's was not necessary. Conversely, the staunch republicans were driven out, also in record numbers, to ensure that their vote was counted.
Hillary got the vote out and Obama didn't this time. Inspiring citizens to participate who traditionally don't should always be commended and with another record turnout in NH, Hillary deserves congratulations for winning this contest.
Dare I hope that Edwards can do the same in SC?
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Adjusting for McCain’s Woo
The image of Dowd and her colleagues making snotty remarks about Hillary while huddled around a TV is so sickening, but it explains so much.
Did yon see Michael Scherer’s response to his Swampland critics regarding “The GOP’s High School Debate?”: “Seriously, I think most of you are right about the McCain dilemma: He is great at wooing us reporters. We must admit this. We must adjust for it in our reporting. I am trying.”
I thought it was intriguing that he said “us reporters” since there was no “reporting” in his article – just wishful thinking folded into fluffy personality analysis.
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/01/the_gops_high_school_debate_th.html#comment-383416
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"it's part of the culture in which we live these days"
That snippet (I was lurking on the thread last night, but too tired from a long meeting on a local issue to be able to contribute) from Brokaw, while accurate, is perhaps the weakest link in his otherwise brave and telling chastisement of the political (and, in fact, the general) press. The first part of the sentence quoted above, Look, I'm not just picking on us, I think, deflects too much blame from the the press. The mindless obsession with the horse race aspect of the campaign is just too much of a piece with the drive-by, content-free aspect of political reporting. The New Hampshire primary result, thankfully, is a complete and utter refutation of that, and Brokaw sees part of that refutation while attempting to deflect more of the blame than he should.
Dowd's comments are just as telling, as she documents the reaction within the Times newsroom. By noting how these vapid stenographers reacted to a glimpse of raw personality and just how wrongly they interpreted both the actual event and its impact on the primary, Dowd is simply writing the first paragraph of the obituary of the current approach in political commentary.
Aside: can we start a pool on the identity of the "security issues" reporter? My money is on our buddy Michael Gordon, since he starts by observing that We are at war while, in fact, we really are in the midst of an illegal occupation.
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Glenn, you were wrong
I was heartened by the polls showing the public hated the horserace coverage that only looks at personality. But I think people are lying. Last night proved you and me and those polls wrong, Glenn.
The only thing that happened between Clinton losing in the polls and winning in New Hampshire was her near-cry. Whether authentic or planned, it provided no new information about who is the better choice. The fact that it must have swayed over ten thousand voters to change their votes demonstrates to me that people want American Idol.
I didn't support either Obama or Clinton, but Clinton's ability to turn around so many voters without substance not only speaks ill of the Democratic primary voters, but shows us that we will be powerless to fight the media effort to put McCain in office. God help us if he cries on November 1st.
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I feel morbid. I'm in a headache bad mood. drips. thanks.
It's Brokaw now?
okay.
go to a dock. tick rock, and drop a hint.
I've never had a venerable disease yet....
If preying and placing hands to heel. ok! do. okay. ouch!
If a left leg appears to have a case of Gomorrah? wow-wee.
If preying helps? okay. Pedinska or Anonymust please do prey?
seep.
iowa.
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Something to Think About...
...how many of these problem children are former writers for past administrations:
Chris Mathews
Maureen Dowd
What's her name married to Greenspan
and I'm sure there are many others...
...is it any wonder why the media is such crap? If I was Dr Evil--I'd say fire all the real journalists and replace them with these well-connected has-beens...install them at every newspaper and tv station and viola--instant propaganda.
...but we all know there in no such person as Dr. Evil...
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From an Iowa Democrat and Obama supporter
I supported Obama in the Iowa caucuses but, like most Democrats I know, I feel we have a wonderful slate of candidates any of whom I would enthusiastically support.
That said, I watched some of the drivel on CNN and MSNBC prior to the polls closing. The absolute sneering malevolence of these pseudo-journalists towards Hilary and Bill Clinton was shocking. I'm sad to say that it was not surprising. I won't pretend to have an answer as to why New Hampshire voters so confounded the latest polling data but my "wild-ass guess" is that there was a severe backlash by New Hampshire women (HRC won this demographic handily compared to Iowa results) against the blatant misogyny we all witnessed in the press coverage of Hilary Clinton.
MR in Iowa.