Quickies: “The Race”

     An old friend liked to say that intelligent people discuss ideas, whereas the unintelligent gossip about people. By that standard, where do our Main Stream Media score? Hearken to Bill Murchison:

     Wouldn't it be nice if the issues and perils confronting, prospectively, the people who want to be president got half the attention that funding sources and New Hampshire polls receive? The horserace, the horserace -- is that all any one cares about? What happens after the leader crosses the finish line?

     I ask this rude question for a reason. Things are in a mess right now -- a fact that doesn't find much affirmation in the media. Not that the candidates don't point to their righteous intentions respecting the issues of the day: mainly so as to make this part of "the base" or that one take notice. No coherent account of the country's problems gets heard.

     It’s simple enough: The media have been selecting their news anchors and talking-head-show figures from the ranks of sportscasters and commentators. To a sports guy, all that matters is the competition: who’s winning, who’s losing, the statistics and the standings. The rationale is that the sportscaster’s audience will loyally follow him wherever he goes. After all, what other explanation could there be for the way Bob Costas has been injecting his politics into his sports coverage...or for the strange career of Keith Olbermann?

     It’s not a new development, either. Does anyone else here remember Howard Cosell? And we also have Joe Garagiola, but of late he’s mainly been visible doing play-by-play at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, so there’s hope for him yet.

     (Speaking of which, what do you think of Rufus’s chance for 2016 Best in Show? He’s been looking pretty good, but he tends to waffle on the Middle East and trade promotion authority, and I worry about him in a head-to-head debate with the Akita...)