Politico rips media for making big deal of "trivial, unimportant" RFK "assassination" story

[BigBearJack]

JOHN F. HARRIS
5/25/08


This weekend’s uproar over Hillary Rodham Clinton invoking the assassination of Robert Kennedy as rationale for continuing her presidential campaign is an especially vivid example of modern journalism as hyperkinetic child — overstimulated by speed and hunger for a head-turning angle that will draw an audience.

The truth about what Clinton said — and any fair-minded appraisal of what she meant — was entirely beside the point.

Her comment was news by any standard. But it was only big news when wrested from context and set aflame by a news media more concerned with being interesting and provocative than with being relevant or serious. Thus, the story made the front page of The New York Times, was the lead story of The Washington Post and got prominent treatment on the evening news on ABC, CBS and NBC.

(emphasis is mine).

Continue reading:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10604.html

[anonymous171]

1. Are you related in any way to "BigBearJohn"?

[BigBearJack]

2. Yes. He is my cousin

And I'm his cousin too.

[KittyWampus]

3. stupid sockpuppets note even smart enough to change their names much

[blogslut]

4. Poor Politico

If they had broken the story, they would be milking it like a cow.

[grantcart]

5. and here is some of the rest of what he said

Martin and I both thought we saw a slight twinge in Clinton’s facial expression, as though she recognized she had just said something dumb.

clip

Make no mistake. Clinton stepped on a rake with her comment and got bopped in the face. This was entertaining political slapstick, for those of us who like that kind of thing. Little wonder she apologized.


So his perspective is that it should have been a minor story but kept in perspective. And that Hillary obviously made a gaffe and should have apologized.

Here's the problem with your thread: Hillary didn't apologize and came out today defending her remarks. So even if it shouldn't have become a big story initially (and we can disagree with that) if you read the story in its entirety I don't think that the writer of the article would disagree that her editorial today does in fact make it a big story.

And that is what makes her IWR vote a continuing story. She doesn't apologize and move on.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Why do we give a FUCK what Politico says about anything?

Did someone determine that what they say matters to me?

Didn't think so.

Fuck Politico! They have come out of nowhere to attempt to determine what's what in politics.

You must think that we are just stupid or something....and so must they.

[Perry Logan]

7. I call it "The Emperor's New Gaffe." Y'all're delusional.

Obamites see it. The media sees it. But normal people don't see it.