The Loony Pastor of the United States addresses the nation, and the media goes crazy
Why is cable news showing Jeremiah Wright non-stop?
The Loony Pastor of the United States addresses the nation, and the media goes crazy
There's an old classic rock chestnut by the group Free that's been going through my head this morning, although the spelling's a bit off:
"All Wright now....baby, it's alllll Wright now..."
Ever since yesterday, the cable news channels have been running virtually non-stop the comic stylings of the Artist Formerly Known as Barack Obama's Pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. In other words, a man whose claims to fame are a low-degree of separation from a presidential contender and an ability for mixing good deeds and occasional common sense with outrageous statements and even spreading deliberate untruths (America deliberately caused AIDS) is getting the kind of airtime that even presidents of the United States rarely get.
No, President Bush doesn't get all the TV airtime that he wants, but that doesn't seem to be an issue for the man who's suddenly become a public figure: LPOTUS -- the Loony Pastor of the United States. To be fair, it's not clear today whether Bush or Wright has the lower approval rating.
But that's not the issue. The issue is whether this man who, regardless of what you think of his provocative ideas, clearly enjoys calling attention to himself -- now to the political detriment of his former congregant (Wright is now retired from the Trinity United Church of Christ) -- deserves wall-to-wall coverage over two days in a time of war, record gas prices, a global food crisis, and more. Isn't the supposed big issue with Wright whether Obama was aware of his more outlandish and anti-American statements (uh, I believe he is by now) and how Obama himself viewed and dealt with those views, to the extent that he was aware of them?
While most agree that's a legitimate conversation -- you may recall this speech by Obama that it inspired last month -- I also think that train has already left the station. In other words, what Wright said last night in Detroit or this morning to the National Press Club doesn't advance that political issue at all. It is sheer reality show "Deal or No Deal"-style entertainment -- what off-the-wall thing will come out of Wright's mouth next. You can just see America's living rooms..."Oh my God, Martha -- you gotta see this! He's doing JFK now!"
And CNN, Fox, and MSNBC are outstanding at providing this type of electrifying television coverage, and making it highly entertaining. The only thing they're terrible at doing is telling us what -- in the context of electing our 44th president -- it all means at this stage of the game, now that Wright's past statements have been aired thousands of times and been analyzed and properly rejected and denounced by Obama in his own nationally televised speech.
That's because frankly, they don't know what it all means anymore, just that millions of us are still watching.
Ironic, isn't it, that the all-Wright-all-the-time news coverage commences on the very day that Elizabeth Edwards published this in the New York Times:
News is different from other programming on television or other content in print. It is essential to an informed electorate. And an informed electorate is essential to freedom itself. But as long as corporations to which news gathering is not the primary source of income or expertise get to decide what information about the candidates “sells,” we are not functioning as well as we could if we had the engaged, skeptical press we deserve.
And make no mistake about it -- Jeremiah Wright sells! In fact, I wonder how long before MTV or maybe even one of the networks offers him his own reality show, except it wouldn't differ much from the one that's already airing. Frankly, I think that combatting this kind of news coverage is an argument that the American electorate can't win, so would I would propose is this:
Let's not wait until August, but immediately declare Jeremiah Wright the Democrats' fall candidate for LPOTUS, and then let's annoint the Rev. John Hagee as the GOP nominee, and have the two of them hold a series of Lincoln-Douglas style debates. Can you imagine the ratings for that? I know the perfect moderators!
Blogger's note: Fixed some typos and changed the original headline, which I decided was off-target and grating
Character is "nonsensical, meaningless garbage"?— legatus- Nope, guilt by association and gotcha politics are garbage. Especially when it is as meaningless as Ayers, flag pins, Wright. If you are a Repub, know your own candidate and his "character" before you throw stones.— RG
- Golly, you're absolutely right, Will! How DARE CNN cut away from something as important as Larry King interviewing Pam Anderson (in case you missed it, THAT was the crucial programming that was pre-empted so CNN could cover Rev. Wright's speech) to give the American voting public some actual CONTEXT surrounding something that, valid or not, has become a crucial topic in the election of our next President? How dare they give the voters something with which to form their opinions and preferences other than 25 second soundbytes? Look - the bottom line is that there are ABSOLUTELY issues that are more important than these ridiculous "who talked to who, who pardoned who, who worships at who's church, who endorsed who" talking points that seem to dominate the political coverage right now. But at least, this one time, a few networks actually deigned to give Americans the WHOLE story - instead of the portions of the story THEY decided were important. That's a step. Whether seeing Dr. Wright's speech actually changed your mind or not, at least now you've got more facts. That can't be a bad thing.— JLB
- "If you are a Repub, know your own candidate and his "character" before you throw stones. Posted by RG" If you are a Repub...If you are a Dem....who cares. As an ~American~ I want to know the character of all of my choices for Pres.— legatus
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- The biggest hypocritical aspect of the rightwing attacks on Obama are that they're usually the ones whining like little girls about political correctness. Obama doesn't fit the model of what they think is politically correct - but no one has any evidence whatsoever that his political philosophy is in any way aligned with that of Wright or Ayers. And so, he's attacked nonstop daily by the rightwing not for who he actually is, or the policies he advocates, but whether he matches a particular image - an image of someone who'd never associate with people who have unpopular opinions. None of Obama's detractors can provide us with one shred of evidence that Obama agrees with violence as a way to affect American policy, or that he thinks that the American government is responsible for AIDS. Well, we'll see what happens come November. Either Ameirca rejects this call for political corectness on the part of the far right loons, or it doesn't. And if it doesn't, the country will just have to deal with the consequences.— Talking point sleuth
- If your ilk hadn't been yelping about Robertson, Falwell, Bob Jones Univ. and the "religious reich" for the past 25 years I might take you seriously. More evidence of a Republican sycophant: "Wah, you did it first, you did it first." Here's the difference, b. at(ch). Obama has denounced the statements of Wright and the actions of Ayers. You want to criticize Wright just as I would criticize Robertons - that's legit. But I criticize politicians don't express objections to the ideas of lunatics like Robertson, and you criticize a politician who denounces Wright's objectionable statements.— Talking point sleuth
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- Either Ameirca rejects this call for political corectness on the part of the far right loons, or it doesn't. And if it doesn't, the country will just have to deal with the consequences.Posted by Talking point sleuth......Where is YOUR evidence (not opinions) that those who question Obamas motives, suitability to be president, are based on political correctness?— E Plebnista
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- Elizabeth Edwards is right but that's not going to change anytime soon.Obama needs to get this mutant under control or John Edwards won't be Att'y General.— Yankee Air Pirate 12
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- When one says I'm a uniter and calls Rev. Wright his spiritual adviser and mentor I'd say theres a hint of evidence.. So, you see a "hint" of evidence? Sounds awfully weak. And it's not evidence of anything - except your willingnes to tar Obama with a brush by virtue of association. Eugene Mcarthy was very successful at using similar tactics. Obama's words so "vapid?" Which is the vapid part? When he says there's something wrong with the kind of divisive politic that's been the norm in this country? Or when he says that despite legitimate viewpoints from both sides on racial issues, progress will not come unless there is dialog? His spiritual mentor is his mentor for a variety of reasons. Would you deem it appropriate for others to determine who Obama should and should not look up to for spiritual leadership? Do you think it's appropriate that I should deem who you should consider as a spiritual mentor? If Obama agrees with Wright's offensive political ideology, then it is fair game to go after him on those grounds. But he has stated that he doesn't agree with Wright's offensive statements. If you think Obama's a liar - and that in actuality he's a racist, terrorist sympathizer who really hates this country and will turn it over to jihadists, so be it. That wouldn't make you the first paranoid luncatic to be a Republican Sycophant. Nor the last.— Talking point sleuth
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