O.K. media people. Lighten up.I know why Americans are sick of politics. About every three weeks we’re inundated with a new scandal-gate. This week it’s called Blagogate. (Google News: 63 stories today)
A big front page story early this week told how Illinois Guv Rod Blogojevich sought to capitalize on Barack Obama’s vacated senate seat. Yep. He was purportedly striving to strike a back room deal in which he could profit by selling the seat to the highest bidder.
“Come one, come all… Be a Senator and enjoy the benefits of power and privilege, D.C-style.”
Now here’s the part that gets bad. Within days some newsman tries to make a name for himself by giving the scandal a name. “What if we just add a ‘gate’ to the story somewhere?” Next thing you know, everyone is talking about this stupid thing that some guy did and comparing it, by the very nature of its name, to Nixon’s truly despotic Watergate atrocity.Suddenly, no one cares about Mr. Obama’s appointments, or the continuing crisis in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Pakistan or Mumbai or Ethiopia or Somalia or Outer Slobovia…. Rather, in a strange media feeding frenzy, with tar slathering over everything related to Illinois, all the spotlights turn to the president-elect. How much did he know? Why wasn’t he outraged when he found out about it?
I guess it was CNN’s Rick Sanchez who came up with the tagline Blagogate. But someone would have sooner or later. And with deft innuendo Mr. Obama is on the defensive. Here’s Katie Couric on the theme:
Today, President-elect Barack Obama formally introduced his pick for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Daschle, but you wouldn't know it from the headlines. The press conference was dominated by questions about Illinois Gov. Rod Blogojevich, and very serious charges that he may have tried to sell Mr. Obama's Senate seat. Federal prosecutors have said there are no allegations that Mr. Obama was involved, and the president-elect stated he is confident his staffers had no hand in the hijinx.
So why is this news?
Fox News naturally gives an even more ominous spin in a story titled Obama Bungles Blagogate.
Hmmm… “Bungles” sounds like "screwed up" and fumbles and just plain messed up his first move. It also sounds like editorial jabbing, not news reporting.
And in what way did he bungle this “first major test before taking office”? In fact, why is this his first test? I would think his first test would been election night. He could have gloated. But he did not. He passed the first test… a gracious winner. The next set of tests were already waiting for him by week’s end. The automakers were on the ropes, and bleeding badly. He could have failed that, too. Or in his appointments to the cabinet… wouldn’t those be called “tests” of his judgment?
Instead, Fox focuses on this little item:
“In his first major test before taking office President-elect Barack Obama finds himself sucked into scandal. The governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich, a man Obama endorsed in 2006, was charged this week with trying to sell the president-elect’s senate seat in a staggering level of pay to play politics.”
Of course this piece of editorializing is written by a Republican who quickly adds the following disclaimer:
“Let me make one thing clear: Obama has not been charged, nor is there any suspicion that he had any involvement in this scandal.” If there is not even any suspicion of involvement, then why is this a story?
So what are they saying he did wrong? “On Tuesday, following the reports that Blagojevich had been arrested, Obama said he was ‘saddened and sobered’ by the news. Saddened? Movies on Lifetime make people sad. This should make him furious.”
How about the possibility that he is saddened because he is watching a public official’s life become a public ruin? The guy may have actly like a bum, but he's a human being.
Another thing Obama did wrong was probably to come from that seething hotbed of unethical slime, Illinois. Isn’t Illinois the notorious state of Mayor Daley and Al Capone and stuffed ballot boxes and corruption? Well yes, but it’s also the Land o’ Lincoln. Besides, I never knew political corruption had geographic boundaries. New Jersey famously has the Mob, and New York Boss Tweed and crooked cops, and D.C. has its history of shame as well. And let's not forget Louisiana or Mississippi while we're at it.
As for Obama and the media, can it really be that the honeymoon is over already? If the media is going to make a mountain out of this particular anthill, it’s their prerogative. I would think, however, there are more important things to be getting a grip on right now.
And in what way did he bungle this “first major test before taking office”? In fact, why is this his first test? I would think his first test would been election night. He could have gloated. But he did not. He passed the first test… a gracious winner. The next set of tests were already waiting for him by week’s end. The automakers were on the ropes, and bleeding badly. He could have failed that, too. Or in his appointments to the cabinet… wouldn’t those be called “tests” of his judgment?Instead, Fox focuses on this little item:
“In his first major test before taking office President-elect Barack Obama finds himself sucked into scandal. The governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich, a man Obama endorsed in 2006, was charged this week with trying to sell the president-elect’s senate seat in a staggering level of pay to play politics.”
Of course this piece of editorializing is written by a Republican who quickly adds the following disclaimer:
“Let me make one thing clear: Obama has not been charged, nor is there any suspicion that he had any involvement in this scandal.” If there is not even any suspicion of involvement, then why is this a story?
So what are they saying he did wrong? “On Tuesday, following the reports that Blagojevich had been arrested, Obama said he was ‘saddened and sobered’ by the news. Saddened? Movies on Lifetime make people sad. This should make him furious.”
How about the possibility that he is saddened because he is watching a public official’s life become a public ruin? The guy may have actly like a bum, but he's a human being.
Another thing Obama did wrong was probably to come from that seething hotbed of unethical slime, Illinois. Isn’t Illinois the notorious state of Mayor Daley and Al Capone and stuffed ballot boxes and corruption? Well yes, but it’s also the Land o’ Lincoln. Besides, I never knew political corruption had geographic boundaries. New Jersey famously has the Mob, and New York Boss Tweed and crooked cops, and D.C. has its history of shame as well. And let's not forget Louisiana or Mississippi while we're at it.
As for Obama and the media, can it really be that the honeymoon is over already? If the media is going to make a mountain out of this particular anthill, it’s their prerogative. I would think, however, there are more important things to be getting a grip on right now.
