Saturday, June 02, 2007
Via Atrios:
Media Matters discusses the rank hypocrisy of how Presidential candidates are covered.
Imagine how the media would react if a multimillionaire, East Coast, big-city, thrice-married presidential candidate who was a progressive Democrat said his most recent music purchase was opera, his favorite fitness activity, golf, and added that he doesn't drive -- he navigates.
Or if a progressive Democratic candidate who had launched his political career by marrying into a wealthy and politically connected family, then promptly running for Congress, revealed that he has pet turtles named "Cuff" and "Link."
Or if a progressive Democratic candidate who was the son of a governor, who has a net worth of around $200 million, whose own campaign staff was concerned he is seen as not tough enough and that his hair looks too perfect ... imagine if such a candidate said that if he weren't running for office, he'd probably be chief executive of an auto company and whose staff boasted that the difference between him and the president is "intelligence."
They are speaking about Giuliani, McCain, and Romney of course. If a democrat had that kind of material to work with, the media would go nutty fruit loops on them.
I do want to use this as a springboard for another point that sticks at my gut. Who certified the media as to knowing what is Presidential or not? Kucinich, Gravel, and Paul are not my cup of tea, but I should be allowed to make that decision for myself without the media doing the job for me. The media's track record on this is suspect enough that they should be sitting quietly in the back of the classroom with a dunce cap when the subject of "electability" and what makes a good president comes under discussion.
The classic example is the media and adultery. You can't be president you had an affair!(only applies to democrats. Giuliani, Gingrich, Reagan, Delay, McCain are just rakish guys).
Would somebody in the media please explain how they came up with this crap? I want a listing of the presidents who committed adultery and those who didn't compared to their historical ranking. FDR, JFK, Thomas Jefferson were all worse presidents than Nixon I guess. He may have violated our constitutional liberties, but he didn't violate the Mayflower Madam's girls. Let's dig him out of the grave and give him back the job that is his destiny.
George W. Bush is apparently faithful to Laura, the bottle, and repeating talking points. He must be put on Mount Rushmore!
The media continues to harp on adultery (by democrats) as disqualifying character flaws against being a President, when it appears to this observer that some of our best presidents had the worst personal morals when it comes to sexuality.
How about we let the voters decide what is important, and the media can focus even harder on what Anna Nicole Smith's enema entrails reveals about her frame of mind during her last few days?
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