The media is a tricky thing to figure out sometimes. On occasion, they obsess over something and repeat it again and again for no apparent reason. Consider how many people can recite the details about the Malaysian Airlines plane that "vanished" because entire networks (like CNN) became 24 hour update services about a story that required no updates except saying "nothing new today." On other occasions, they ignore stories that clearly merit attention. There are still major American networks that have not mentioned the story of Jonathan Gruber, the architect of Obamacare, who admits that president Obama expressly chose to lie to the American people about what the law was and what it would do in order to get it passed.
In the last two days, I have been amazed by the media's need to create stories. For example, some media made a big deal about how protestors of the Ferguson grand jury decision "disrupted" the Macy's Thanksgiving parade in Manhattan. It turns out that seven protesters tried to get on the parade route but were stopped by the New York police. If you have ever been to that parade, you know that there must be at least ten times that number of people stopped by police each year when they drunkenly try to join the marchers. The stories today do not mention if the "protesters" were drunk, but, if so, they would have fit right in.
And how about the stories discussing what a hard time president Obama is having finding a new secretary of defense. Really? All that has happened is that the White House leaked a few names and most of those mentioned told the press they were not interested. So what is that story about in reality? The answer is the incompetence of the White House. Who, after all, leaks the name of a possible candidate for a position without first asking that candidate if he or she is interested? The point of the leak or "trial balloon" as it is normally called, is to see if there is a groundswell of opposition to any of the potential nominees. It is most certainly not meant as a method to tell the potential candidates that they are under consideration for the post. But is it news that the Obama White House is incompetent? Not really. But the media not only covers the story, but they try to disguise it so that it does not even mention incompetence. (Maybe the media folks just ate too much on Thanksgiving. I know I did.)
In the last two days, I have been amazed by the media's need to create stories. For example, some media made a big deal about how protestors of the Ferguson grand jury decision "disrupted" the Macy's Thanksgiving parade in Manhattan. It turns out that seven protesters tried to get on the parade route but were stopped by the New York police. If you have ever been to that parade, you know that there must be at least ten times that number of people stopped by police each year when they drunkenly try to join the marchers. The stories today do not mention if the "protesters" were drunk, but, if so, they would have fit right in.
And how about the stories discussing what a hard time president Obama is having finding a new secretary of defense. Really? All that has happened is that the White House leaked a few names and most of those mentioned told the press they were not interested. So what is that story about in reality? The answer is the incompetence of the White House. Who, after all, leaks the name of a possible candidate for a position without first asking that candidate if he or she is interested? The point of the leak or "trial balloon" as it is normally called, is to see if there is a groundswell of opposition to any of the potential nominees. It is most certainly not meant as a method to tell the potential candidates that they are under consideration for the post. But is it news that the Obama White House is incompetent? Not really. But the media not only covers the story, but they try to disguise it so that it does not even mention incompetence. (Maybe the media folks just ate too much on Thanksgiving. I know I did.)
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