Greetings Fellow Comstoks! (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} fengi) wrote,@ 2008-04-17 06:29:00 |
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It's Time To Blogswarm against Reporters
If there is a time to use the power of the blogs to shift focus, it is now. And the shift needs to be on shaming the press into doing their job.
The President has admitted to approving secret meetings which were at least repugnant and possibly war crimes. John McCain opposes the GI Bill and many anti-torture measures while presenting himself as golden on these issues without question from the press. We have two qualified Democratic candidates in the longest primary ever, who have many policy positions they rarely discuss. [Edited to Add: Asasim points out, such questions have relevance, but not as the dominant focus.]
And in last night's faux-debate the press dwelt upon scandals, flubs and flaws on the campaign trail, mostly against Obama, for 40 minutes to an hour. It was an excessive emphasis "the character issue" - an idea largely framed by the right - at the expense of other topics which I'd argue are of greater importance. Unless this character is a massive contradiction - like legislating on family values after an ugly divorce, oh wait that's John McCain - then it's a gossip fest.
I know that even left wing media types like Rachel Maddow will partially blame this on Clinton and Obama and the long primary. As if the long primary owned newspapers and sat in on editorial sessions ordering reporters to give McCain a pass while repeating "Democrats self-destruct".
Here's the thing: those who tell the story are inserting excuses to pretend they aren't culpable for their own actions. Even the term "the Media" uses an impersonal term to avoid how it is real, specific people deciding what words, angles and events are used.
It's time to push the press into better behavior name and shame- for example: Liz Sidoti, who presented John McCain with a box of donut in a playful, cozy manner - everyone who took part in that display lacks the needed distance to report and should be removed from McCain coverage if not their jobs. It's time to contact the AP and ask them to sanction Sidoti for her behavior.
If there is a time to use the power of the blogs to shift focus, it is now. And the shift needs to be on shaming the press into doing their job.
The President has admitted to approving secret meetings which were at least repugnant and possibly war crimes. John McCain opposes the GI Bill and many anti-torture measures while presenting himself as golden on these issues without question from the press. We have two qualified Democratic candidates in the longest primary ever, who have many policy positions they rarely discuss. [Edited to Add: As
asim points out, such questions have relevance, but not as the dominant focus.]And in last night's faux-debate the press dwelt upon scandals, flubs and flaws on the campaign trail, mostly against Obama, for 40 minutes to an hour. It was an excessive emphasis "the character issue" - an idea largely framed by the right - at the expense of other topics which I'd argue are of greater importance. Unless this character is a massive contradiction - like legislating on family values after an ugly divorce, oh wait that's John McCain - then it's a gossip fest.
I know that even left wing media types like Rachel Maddow will partially blame this on Clinton and Obama and the long primary. As if the long primary owned newspapers and sat in on editorial sessions ordering reporters to give McCain a pass while repeating "Democrats self-destruct".
Here's the thing: those who tell the story are inserting excuses to pretend they aren't culpable for their own actions. Even the term "the Media" uses an impersonal term to avoid how it is real, specific people deciding what words, angles and events are used.
It's time to push the press into better behavior name and shame- for example: Liz Sidoti, who presented John McCain with a box of donut in a playful, cozy manner - everyone who took part in that display lacks the needed distance to report and should be removed from McCain coverage if not their jobs. It's time to contact the AP and ask them to sanction Sidoti for her behavior.
