I just think conservatives need to accuse a hostile press they have largely manufactured in their own minds in order to feel better about their darlings being caught doing the proverbial dill stomp. No conservative seems to have criticized the “liberal press” for going after Clinton, or Weiner or any other liberal caught misbehaving and for keeping those stories in the public eye. And I’ve noticed right here on this site than when Palin is in the news, the fact is never lamented except when it reports she does something really stupid.

Of course, there is a little self-fulfilling prophecy at work here too. Like anyone else, the press, when faced with hostility that IT feels is unfair, just digs a little deeper and works a little harder. There is always something there, if you look hard enough.

Of course, now that we have a polarized, partisan press in this country, it doesn’t really matter any more, does it? There is enough lies and sensationalism around for everyone, isn’t there?

I do feel there is a big problem with the press, but it is not partisanship. The press is, after all, a corporate enterprise. It is in it for the money. The big problem with media today is not taking sides, but failing to report what we need to know. It has become a medium for entertainment, to attract eyeballs for advertisers. Every news show now ends with its human interest crap, it’s “good news”. You know, the kitten rescued from the tree, the brave young cripple overcoming his “challenge”, that spunky small town sports team that just “wouldn’t give up”, the brave veteran coping with the loss of his legs. It’s shameless.

Stories are sensationalized, or abandoned and not followed through when the next “big thing” comes along. And heaven forbid that the news should be dull. It needs to be colorful, fun; gory and violent is ok, but not depressing or sad. There’s always room for cloying sentiment. And you can always sneak in some advertising disguised as news, like a five-minute promo on that big special telecast tonight, or the gossip on the local sports team. That’s good for business, especially if they’ve had a losing season and want a new stadium at taxpayer expense..

Broadcast news, especially local news but increasingly national, is getting like Infotainment Tonite or Excess Hollywood. It is no longer a respected loss-leader for the broadcaster, as it was in the days of Murrow and Sevareid. It is just another revenue-generating hour competing for eyeballs.

And that is not the fault of liberal journalists. That is the
crime of the conservative owners and managers, the Murdochs and their ilk, who now dominate the American press. Gimme some more of that good ole liberal bias any day. Hell, even conservative bias can be corrected by reading between the lines and adding a correction factor. But newsless news has no information content. Its just capitalism at its worst.

But, the media reaction to political gaffes is interesting.

THAT, is the reason for the thread.

Most gaffes are just verbal typos, they don’t really matter. Others aren’t, and they do.

I’m actually surprised that Obama has made enough of the latter that they can fill an entire post. But, at the risk of bringing up yet another inconvenient truth, let us recall Dubya has filled up an entire website with his howlers.

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/bushquotes/Bushisms_and_Funny_Bush_Quotes.htm

I know its petty to bring that up, but after all, petty is the whole reason for this thread, isn’t it?

Lets hope Obama’s record isn’t that lengthy after he’s finished his eight years.