Last Saturday I was mulling a thought about why the mass-media ‘journalists’, commentators, and pundits were suddenly going so negative on Trump, after giving him and his fascist campaign a pass for most of the last year. I ended up writing a diary where I connected a few dots to suggest that it was ‘safe’ to go after his lying, orange ass because he was refusing to spend any money on advertising in that very same media.
Some folks agreed with me, some disagreed; others pointed out how it’s an extremely complicated dance and maybe this thing or that thing factored into what looked like an across-the-board shift in coverage. It was the BEST of what DK is and has always been about: a reasoned, thoughtful discussion that leaves us with new knowledge and theories.
And...then yesterday a number of diarists and commenters noted the sudden NEW shift in coverage, exemplified by Mr. Hardball himself, Chris Matthews, where the new Trump campaign execs are treated as Very Serious Political Leaders and their Winger CT is given Very Serious Consideration.
WHY? What’s changed in just a couple of days? Is it Trump reading off a telepromter for three speeches in a row? Is it the fact that someone has taken his Droid phone away, or changed his Twitter pwd? Is it the arrival of New Blood, no matter how Winger-CT? Lots of theories, but mostly disgust, combined with noting the eternal truism that “the media loves them a horse race”.
AH, BUT this morning I note that the Trump campaign has made a $5 million ad buy. Well how ‘bout them apples. Now this doesn’t prove a thing. Maybe it’s just a side note in the summer coverage. Maybe it’s Back-To-School time. Maybe it’s because, even though he won gold last night, Usain Bolt looked old in the 200m.
Or maybe we really do have to follow the money.