Once again, the press obsesses over a topic and then blames the President for "creating a firestorm"

[Empowerer]

Throughout the past few days, we've heard over and over again that the mosque "controversy" is overshadowing everything else because now the President and other Democrats "are being asked about it everywhere they go."

First question - being asked by WHOM?! I doubt that individuals are bombarding the President and other politicians with questions about a mosque in lower Manhattan. As far as I can tell, the only people demanding "answers" (answers to what?!) are members of the media. THEY have created the story and are doing their best to keep it churning until the next shiny object comes along to catch their fancy.

Second question - what "controversy?" How does the fact that Newt Gingrich et al's ignorant, bigoted, demagogic ramblings conflict with the President's position constitute a "controversy?" And why are these two positions - one ridiculous and untenable, the other constitutionally and morally sound - being treated as a balanced difference of opinion with the truth somewhere in the middle?

The media are pathetic.

[Blue Owl]

1. Just what is KKKarl Rove up to these days?

Sure seems like something KKKarl's assroots movement "American Crossroids" would be good at.

The Repukes can only win by lying, cheating, stealing, smearing, distorting, falsifying, and deceiving.

They never let up.

[xxqqqzme]

2. If only that oil was still gushing!

Damn the luck. When DC news is slow, because of the recess they gotta have something - anything. Can't have the masses worrying about the economy and jobs. They might start putting 2+2 together and reach for their torches & pitchforks. The whorporate media once again doing the bidding of their corporate masters.

[Clio the Leo]

3. And we're not helping.

All I'm going to say on the matter.

[Hansel]

4. The press constantly laments how they simply cannot control themselves

Everything is out of their control.

"I don't want to be saying this or covering this, but I just can't control myself. Stop forcing me to cover the news in such a profoundly biased and hyperbolic way because you answered our stupid question we asked to gin up more irrelevant controversy. Surely we would get to work and cover more important things if we could just stop ourselves from over analyzing every word you utter. But we gossip, therefore we are."

[Empowerer]

6. Exactly! They behave as if they have absolutely no control over what they cover

Instead, it's the fault of the people they cover for not tying up all of their news in a nice, neat ribboned package ready to just be rolled out on television without any work - what used to be called "journalism" - on the part of the reporters and commentators.

It's almost amusing to see them consistently express surprise and engage in false handwringing about why such a large segment of the American public seems to be so woefully misinformed - and then blame the White House for "not getting their message out" and "failing to communicate" and "being unable to connect with the public" when it is they, the "journalists" who are the ones largely responsible for this state of affairs. I have no doubt that, if the MSM stopped pretending that there was moral and political equivalency between President Obama's positions and those of the right wing fringe ("The Tea Partiers say that Health Care Reform will result in Death Panels. The White House says it will not. You be the judge . . .") and focusing endless time and attention on inane non-issues, the American public would be considerably more informed than they are - even if the White House didn't do one thing different than it is now.

These people are a disgrace.

[KakistocracyHater]

5. ignore the idiot "press", they only report gossip anyway

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