The mainstream media is doing everything it can (in mostly subtle ways) to constrain the boundries of public issue and policy discourse among the Presidential candidates. Primarily this truncates any real discussion of progessive issues and draws the view back to the mediocre common wisdoms. Kossiacks beware!
First to make an observation about both Party's innovative candidates: It was wonderful to watch Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul get wide ranging and extended exposure on PBS's Bill Moyer's show friday night. On both sides these are the candidates who are pushing the envelope of public discussion and hopefully expanding the range of future change. The show was essentially about how the media overlooks these candidates and their philosophical and policy insights. Rep. Paul discussed the shocking but not unexpected news that Fox News has boldly eliminated Ron Paul from their New Hampshire Republican TV debate on the basis of no explicit criteria at all. It was, in fact, heartening to learn that because of this crude censorship (about his opposition to the war?)the New Hampshire Republican Party has withdrawn as a sponsor.
Secondly, since Kucinich has no traction, John Edwards has certainly staked out the most specific and articulate progressive policy positions. As a physician I am most interested in health policy issues, essentially who will bring Americans closer to universal care (not just insurance coverage). John Edwards has clearly the most innovative, aggressive and strategically wise policy on this issue, among others. His position was even praised in an email sent out by Michael Moore on January 2. The general public seemingly has not resonated to Edward's progressive message, so it is understandable that the mainstream media has not paid that much attention to him. But I am writing to point out that media commentary has already gone well beyond reporting. In two seperate commentaries I heard the reporters label Senator Edwards as the angry candidate. So much for the heartfelt compassionate man who publicaly revealed more of his personal intimacy than any other candidate when his wife revealed her breast cancer. Then today, Sunday, on THIS WEEK with George Stepanopoulos, George Will went to far as to label Senator Edwards, in an unbelievably casual fashion, the Trotsky Candidate. These are bad portents of framing to come and it will certainly keep Senator Obama from articulating more explicitly progressive issues. Kossiaks beware.