Is it too much to ask....

[WCGreen]

I remember when I ran for office some 14 years ago against what an old girlfriend of mine would have called “a piece of work.” He would say wild things that had no basis in fact act belligerent to gays and minorities and take stands such as being the first outspoken state legislator in Ohio to champion rolling back liabilities for chemical companies when it came to the knowing release of toxic waste in to the environment. In other words, a prototype for the mainstream right-winger of today. (Somewhere I think he is proud of being a trailblazer.)

I would release press notices with all sorts of facts contradicting, with documented proof, most of what my opponent was saying. He was even actively looking for an appointed job while campaigning for the State Senate. I kept pounding the press and yet they never once ran with one of my releases. Never once incorporated any of the many contradictions, out right falsehoods and blatant lies I pointed out.

After the election I called and asked the editor of the Plain Dealer why they never once ran with any of the issues I raised. He answered, “That’s your job as the candidate to raise those issues.” I was somewhat taken aback but chalked what he said up as part of the entry fee for running for office. I could not raise enough money so they would not do my job for me. I could not hit the threshold of legitimacy.

It seems that then, as now, outrageous political claims are to be reported by the media but never challenged. That remains the responsibility of the challenger.

One major difference between then and now is the manner in which government was covered by the media. Television was never all that much interested in governing since it was hard to get pictures. But locally owned and operated radio talk stations gave air time to all sorts of views and the major newspapers had state and city beat reporters who actually reported what was going on.

Now with first cable news and now the internet, there seems to be no governor on the information that is presented as news. So what we now have is nothing but a whole lot of opinion splayed out as news on self-proclaimed “news” networks. Is it any reason that our political system has become so polarized?

So I say, is it too much to ask that somewhere sometime the people who fancy themselves as “journalists” on the cable at the very least raise a well trimmed eyebrow or put a surprised look on your face when someone makes a claim such as Rudy Giuliani made last week?

Is it really too much to ask?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. It is not too much to ask; well said.

Lessons from history need to be learned over and over, I guess...

[ThomCat]

2. My guess is that they can only do so many things at one time

and stopping to actually think about what their guests have said isn't high on their priority list.

They need fact checkers. But they don't bother to employ any, or let one whisper anything through the host's earpiece.

I don't think they really pay that much attention to what their guests say anyway. Half the time they seem to be only half listening because they are don't seem to care what the guest has to say. They are just waiting for their own next chance to speak again, to steer the conversation to the next talking point, and to hear themselves talk.

Edit for spelling.

[WCGreen]

3. They have no fact checkers...

Perhaps if they interviewed experts instead of pundits the public would be better served...

Really, when it comes down to it, would we be better served listening to a democratic lobbyist explaining the party line to Wolfie or a neutral voice talking about the real efficacy of say health care reform...

[ThomCat]

4. I'm not sure there is any such thing as a neutral voice.

There experts in a lot of fields and topics, but I doubt they would bring them in. Experts would often expose truths that would make politicians look bad. That goes against the mission of these shows. They seem to exist to butter up politicians.

And they also seem to exist to convince people that the hosts are the experts, so they aren't about to bring in real experts to show how much the hosts really don't understand.

:(

So, instead, we have party spokespersons and analysts explaining talking points.

[WCGreen]

5. The dumbing down of America is an ongoing process...

[happy_liberal]

6. K&R

There are very few journalists left. What we have now are 'news' reading actors who think gossip is legitimate news.