For about as long as I've been reading political blogs, I've been browsing and usually lol'ing at the comments sections under articles on CNN and MSNBC. Now, I know that CNN and MSNBC are the pinnacles of journalistic excellence in the USA currently, but their readership hasn't always lived up the networks' lofty standards.
But recently, even with the 24 hour giants still feeding us utter and complete shit, the readership has totally turned around, 180 degrees, in terms of opinion and ability to tell bullshit from political coverage. examples to follow...
We are the politically and intellectually active and elite in this country. Let's face it. We know and care more about the details of California's proposition 8 (boo) and Larry Kissell's deserving congressional campaign (yay) than a lot of people do about who their senators are. So it's fair to say, and I think we all can agree, that we exist in a crazy bubble here and on the other, awesome progressive blogs we frequent.
I went through this weird period this summer where I realized that I am way different than "joe six-pack". I grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina which Jesse Helms (RIP) once called a zoo. Both my parents are well educated and education, politics, and social awareness were always important in my upbringing. So when I realized this summer, the summer after my senior year in high school, that the world really and truly was nothing like I was used to, suffice to say it blew my mind. On a side note, I would like to here point out the value of books (yay old media), especially Mountains Beyond Mountains and A Short History of a Small Place. Both are great, great reads, especially if you have kids you want to get involved in either caring about people or caring about how people behave.
Back to the main deal here!
So, this summer, in the process of realizing there was a world that actually had to work, hard and for not enough, I began to really pay attention to the mass discussion I saw taking place on the mass media markets talking boards. I used to tell my friends, "if you want a laugh, look at the ignorant stuff people say on CNN". People bought the spin! People agreed with the fluff pieces, the character assassination (on all sides, Obama, Clinton, McCain [rarely]). But now, that's all changed, and I think it says a LOT about the way things are going, and how America's brightest days really are ahead.
Take for instance, tonight's Political Ticker Article, Rage Rising on the McCain Campaign Trail. 2 months ago this would have been filled with people agreeing with the article. There would have been calls for Obama's head, PUMA spamming, etc; but now take a look:
Pete from Houston, TX has this amazingly level headed comment-
October 10th, 2008 2:57 pm ET
McCain and Palin are inciting rage and hatred amongst fellow Americans. Yet they deride the Islamic extremists for inciting hatred and violence against Americans. Does John McCain have to borrow a leaf each from Karl Rove and Osama Bin Laden in order to win this election? Where is John McCain's conscience while he makes a lame attempt at portraying Obama as a terrorist. This is going too far.
John McCain and Sarah Palin have to be called to order before they turn us all against each other. This has to STOP! Americans must rise up against this politics of division. We have a nation to rebuild.
Families are hurting right now under the crushing economic burden and all John McCain offers is to use Osama Bin Laden's tactics of fear? So who is the real terrorisist now? Osama Bin Laden? John McCain, Sarah Palin or all there? America, you decide!
Sounds like a plant, I guess, but still this is progress! Because even the crazed all caps comments are like this now:
T'S 8 YEARS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT HAS PUT THIS COUNTRY IN THE CRAPPER!!
and people are calling out CNN:
Sue, from KC
CNN - do your job and report this accuratley - instead os your usual wishy washy - both sides are doing it crap. And for the love of God instead of showing mindlees women supporters of Palin =- talk about her politcal affiliations - in other words - earn your reputation as the #1 news source.
I love the smell of active citizenship in the morning!
They even take stabs at irony in response to more of theUsual CNN right wing talking point mess:
It is really unfortunate that everything this man brings up makes total sense. As the world's foremost and most famous terrorist, he has made 007 look like the road runner. Think about it, he is constantly on national and world wide T.V. talking about economic solutions that make sense, yet McCain and Pagan are convinced that he is a terrorist. His powers are like non ever seen before. He has fooled the N.S.A., the F.B.I., Homeland Security and the C.I.A. into believing that he is an upright citizen. Next, he will try to convince us that he went to and graduated near the top of his class at Harvard. With a name like Barack Hussien Obama, he has to be a terrorist and if he isn't, I'm fairly sure that he is BLACK. I for one am sick and tired of electing intelligent and even tempered people to lead our country. It's way more fun to elect idiots like W and Pagan. Besides, the N.R.A. has endorsed McCrazy and Pagan. Who has more influence than people with assault rifles.
It's a little disjointed, but they're getting the point!
Point is, I used to look down, a lot, at cnn commenters. And if they are starting to see through the unfair, racist crap the mccain campaign is trying to pull now, it means one of two (2) things
- The poll numbers we see now are NOT going to swing much based on these personal attacks; issues are going to cary out the election, and obama leads on the issues.
- McCain's supporters are too disheartened to troll CNN
it's probably a mix of both, and it's probably awesome. What it means for sure, is that there is a demand for accurate journalism, and that is great.
Here's a bonus:
Valerie Plame- the Decemberists
this is a great new track by the decemberists from their upcoming trio of singles, Always the Bridesmaid.