WaPo's tv critic Tom Shales has the "debate" last night nailed. Whose performance was "shoddy, despicable?" One of the candidates? Not really. It was ABC "News" and its moderators Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopolous. In a desperate fight with CNN to claim the mantle of "Fox News Lite," ABC News (and its Disney ownership) betrayed the public interest by wasting valuable air time on the most inconsequential, lame topics, while consigning important issues to whatever time can be spared after "bitter," "Rev. Wright," etc. What mindless creeps inhabit today's media.
Interestingly, there's evidence that Stephanopoulos got his question to Sen. Obama about William Ayers directly from Sean Hannity when he called in on Hannity's show on Tuesday. Not surprising. The mainstream media feeds off of the Hannitys and Matt Drudges of the right wing for "tips", gossip, rumors, and outright lies. They then present this tabloid-worthy crap in the major media, while thoughtfully knitting their brows and looking concerned. This is a major factor in our democracy getting more debased and dysfunctional, and unable to deal with the problems of real people.
(Note: The blogosphere is humming with commentary, but one of the best we've seen so far is Hunter's at Daily Kos. Check it out.)
