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The Flimflam Strategy
washingtonpost.com — Are the media going to aid and abet the McCain campaign's obvious ploy?
marley619- 181 diggs
- digg it
- aussiejan, on 10/07/2008, -0/+25Eugene hits it out of the park again.
FTA:
"We also know that no matter how skeptical we are when we write about bogus allegations, writing about them at all gives them wider circulation. So when Palin questions Obama's love of country because Obama knows somebody who did something unpatriotic when Obama was 8, our free-market ethos makes us rush to cover her every ridiculous word. We also find ways to convey that this is pure mudslinging and nothing but a cynical campaign tactic, but that doesn't matter to the McCain campaign. What matters is that we're writing and talking about this extraneous stuff -- and not about the issues that polls say voters really care about.
If we in the media really believe what we say about serving the public interest, we have a duty to avoid being turned into instruments of mass distraction. Of course we should cover what the candidates say, putting their words in context and pointing out when the candidates are exaggerating or lying. But we should also think hard about how much prominence we give to smears and counter-smears.
And we should be relentless in demanding that the candidates talk about the economy and the wars and America's place in the world. If they won't sit down to be interviewed, we can shout our questions at them. If they filibuster, we can cut them off. If they give evasive answers, we can ask follow-up questions until we run out of breath.
The McCain campaign has made clear that it wants to change the subject. We can, and should, change it back. " - lawyernerd, on 10/07/2008, -0/+19The more I read Eugene Robinson, the more I've come to believe that he is one of the smartest journalists out there.
- Jeffrey19, on 10/07/2008, -0/+9The Fourth Estate has become a slum with management having slumlord motives. Let us only patronize sources of honest, professional journalism and boycott/critique the manipulating obfuscators.
- voxlisa999, on 10/07/2008, -0/+11"Instruments of Mass Distraction." That' what the McCain campaign uses the media for, much to the detriment of the American people.
- magus_melchior, on 10/07/2008, -0/+6As much as I admire Mr. Robinson for his insightful commentary, the moment most media outlets ignore the McCain campaign message, there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth from the right-wing, followed by a chorus of angry correspondence from their viewers, listeners, and readers.
Like it or not, the right-wing has successfully subjugated the media of this country. - jdarkling, on 10/08/2008, -0/+4Eugene, you are a class act, a great writer and a wonderful presence on Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
- chosenson, on 10/09/2008, -0/+1This poll says OBAMA ahead in West Virginia!! He leads among "likely voters" which tends to underestimate the youth vote:
http://americanresearchgroup.com/pres2008/WV08.htm ...
CNN says Obama is in position to take Virginia from the GOP
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/09/virginia.ba ...
Let McCain keep with the negatives and ignore the economy. Landslide victor for Obama.
Obama/Biden '08
Two heads are better than None
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