Friday, April 07, 2006

Throwing marbles at Elephants' feet

I try, very hard mind you, to stay out of party politics. Sometimes, though, I can't help myself. This really isn't about party politics though - it is about the press. Therefore, a fair target. To get to the point, two of my posts of late, the one about Michael Barone's observations, and also the great find by VodkaPundit, were bouncing around my head when the latest media orgy of poll numbers and Scooter's non-story came up today.

I have never liked election years. Too much heat, not enough light. Political races are in many ways a slow climb up a very high angle glass slope. Slow stead progress, and the now-and-then solid toe-hold that lets you get the jump on the other guy. In theory, the press is supposed to sit there and report on the progress and fair-play of each side, not join in. If they are going to join in, they should push or pull in roughly equal numbers. This year (read the Barone link above for context), really the last few year have been the worst - the MSM has not even been hiding the fact that they are throwing marbles under the feet of the Elephant. They have ignored the Donkey almost totally following 2004. True, the Elephant is out of shape, lazy, and has lost his form, but still.

As for the voters gulping this stuff up wholesale: be careful what you ask for. 14 years on, I still have friends who tell me, "You were right." Carry on.

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