Disgusting, Disgraceful, Demeaning

I watched the first forty-five minutes of the two-hour ABC Democratic debate tonight then turned off the TV. The exchanges encapsulated everything wrong with the American news media as Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos spent the time peppering Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama with an unending litany of gotcha questions rooted in meaningless campaign contretemps.

Rev. Wright, the flag pin, the Bosnia exaggeration, the Weather Underground guy . . . belch.

I know what ABC will say after the hammering they are surely taking all over the blogosphere: Democrats are concerned about electability, and these questions explored how these controversies affected the candidates’ electability.

And it’ll be a self-serving lie like it always is.

Bloggers might be drunk on their own influence, but it is only the validation and incessant repetition from the mainstream media that legitimize this crap and mutes discussion of real issues. I know the campaigns surreptitiously push these controversies in the press’s face, but George and Charlie don’t have to bite.

But they’re bored with the issues and in love with the horserace. They are in their own insider bubble, out of touch with what’s afflicting this country and the change in tone Americans crave—even the Americans who are too simple-minded or vulnerable to resist these hot-button manipulations.

So they devote the most-watched portion of a debate capping the unending PA campaign to a recitation of vomit that demeans the election process, disgusts and wearies voters, and turns politics into a cesspool.

Here’s my vow: I will not watch an ABC news or politics program through the remainder of the election cycle. It’s the only way I have to express my disgust at its trivialization of the most important American election in four decades. I urge you to do the same. 

Comments

[Stewart Woodman]

I went so far as to erase a bunch of word worlds to make space to be able to tivo the debate, I wish I could have them back, they are of a more significant content.

Last night's debate was no different than any of the other debates. I don't think that ABC's ridiculous questions are any less so than in the previous debates.

Has one substantive issue been dealt with in any meaningful way? Once again the media never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity.

[bertram jr]

The problem is that these two candidates are so ridiculous that the questions regarding their malfeasance, misrepresentations and, in case of Obama, utter incompetence, are all that is possible.

Hilary is a shrill, lying harridan that thinks she "deserves" to be President.

Obama has done nothing even remotely qualifying him to run for anything more than, well, dogcatcher.

ABC is only working with the material they had put in front of them.

[Danny B.]

Nothing like a good little conservaterrorism to brighten up the day in the posts. All Democrats are evil, unqualified, lying cheats who want to take your money and give it to the poor while letting our enemies win the war. Sure Bertram, whatever you say. All you're playing here is the simple politics of fear. It's called conservaterrorism and this year, Hannity/Limbaugh and the crew have it ratcheted to new heights.

There was plenty for ABC to work with... Gas is at 3.45 around here. Housing Crisis. Bush's war with Islam...I mean terrorism. Sorry, I always forget where not spreading Christianity over there, it's freedom. Inflation continuing to rise. Unemployment going up.

I also think it's a little elitist of Bertram to assume that the residents of PA aren't interested in these subjects. But I'm not surprised that a Neo-Con would claim to be in touch with small town America by playing with scare tactics like gay marriage and abortion, yet really have no clue outside of those fear-mongering issues.

This debate was nothing more than typical media and ABC being afraid of the blogoshpere. John McCain will have his dust-ups soon enough from the same people. The constant slip-ups trying to tie Iran and Al Queda will cease to be called "mistakes" or "senior moments" and looked at more closely as fear-mongering. Those oh-so comfy ties to lobbies and special interests. The family values of bailing on your first wife when a booze distributor's daughter with a few hundred million bucks gives you a wink. Heck, I'll bet somebody rips McCain for making them have to always turn up the sound on their TV because his voice is so weak and quiet.

Yes, McCain's time to play in the media-created mud is on the way too.

Americans would prefer a new tone. The issue is that a majority of what passes off as a "news" show now is really nothing more than a columnist re-hashing the news with their opinions interjected at every opportune moment. They simply don't have the mental capacity and/or fortitude of the tried and tired horserace formula.