Reality and the Media

[GatewaySnayke]

This has probably been ranted about at least 1.5 million times already this year, but good lord, what passes as journalism these days is terrible.

First, there's the obsession with the Clintons. STFUp about the Clintons! Jeez, I think the worst part about Hillary being nominated for Sec. of State is the Us Weekly-level of reporting that has come with it. It's just inexcusable and I'll never understand what she has done that's so bad to deserve being framed as some conniving opportunist who would stab you in the back for the presidency. She gets absolutely eviscerated and it's unfortunate. Yes, she ran a shady campaign in the primaries and I was happy she lost, but it's gone overboard.

Then there is the manufacted nonsense about how the "left" is pissed off about the nomination and Obama's choices for his cabinet. Nothing but a pile of [expletive]. He has a 94 percent approval from Democrats, 89 percent approval on Clinton and 79 percent on keeping Robert Gates. Democrats are more upset about Joe Lieberman not getting his keister thrown out than that.

And finally, why is the media acting like it's some sort of surprise that Obama isn't filling out his cabinet with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez? He talked about finding people that would disagree with him and about being pragmatic. But then the media comes along and starts their bluster about some pissed off "left" that was hoping to get a bunch of hippies in the White House.

Apparently America has come down to three groups: stinky Bonnaroo kids (the Democratic Party), working-class white people resistant to progress (the GOP) and minorities.

[Leroy]

And finally, why is the media acting like it's some sort of surprise that Obama isn't filling out his cabinet with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez? He talked about finding people that would disagree with him and about being pragmatic.

So you are saying that Fidel and Hugo agree with him?

[ghostrunner]

This is why I don't like the idea of investigating Bush during Obama's term. Once the media gets a hold of that, (except maybe NPR) you can forget about them discussing anything else.

[Jocephus]

And finally, why is the media acting like it's some sort of surprise that Obama isn't filling out his cabinet with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez? He talked about finding people that would disagree with him and about being pragmatic.

So you are saying that Fidel and Hugo agree with him?

what are dwayne castros thoughts?

[GatewaySnayke]

I'm so glad conservatives in the media are showing outrage at the Coleman/Franken recount. We cannot have the Senate or the courts deciding elections. This is a democracy! Could you imagine what would happen if the SCOTUS decided something big like a presidential election?! Boy, they would go nuts and NEVER stand for something like that.

[Fat Strat]

I'm so glad conservatives in the media are showing outrage at the Coleman/Franken recount. We cannot have the Senate or the courts deciding elections. This is a democracy! Could you imagine what would happen if the SCOTUS decided something big like a presidential election?! Boy, they would go nuts and NEVER stand for something like that.

I honestly haven't been following this at all, but hasn't Coleman won every count so far? I've heard bits and peices every now and then in the car.

[Arthur Dent]

I honestly haven't been following this at all, but hasn't Coleman won every count so far? I've heard bits and peices every now and then in the car.

Nate Silver has been on the case at fivethirtyeight.com. Each candidate is allowed to challenge ballots for any reason. Challenged ballots are subtracted from the reported vote totals even though most of the challenges are frivolous. Both sides have been challenging like crazy in order to manipulate perceptions. By challenging ballots, the campaigns are trying to appear in the lead after the recount finishes for public perception purposes. It will look bad if the courts "reverse" the initial results, but in reality the original count is not particularly meaningful. At this point, the outcome is totally unknown. Given that the election was a statistical tie, all these complex procedures seem fairly silly to me. Neither candidate got 50% of the vote, so I think it would make more sense to hold a run-off election. Or just flip a coin.