Breaking News
I really shouldn’t be surprised. It’s not like we didn’t know cable-news was all about infotainment… but today, I think CNN and all other television news outlets hit a brand new low for me.
On the day that arguably the most controversial Olympic Games with more story lines then one could imagine opened and a day in which Russia invaded a sovereign state in Georgia, what gets a majority of the airtime? John Edwards affair.
Granted, when I first heard the news break of the Edwards affair, it definitely grabbed my attention. Edwards has probably been the most charismatic and likable political figure of this past election season, save for Obama. In fact, he was one of my top two or three choices to be on the ticket with Obama as his Vice President. That said, once I knew all the facts, which took maybe three minutes… I was done with the story, there’s bigger more important fish to fry.
It appears CNN didn’t think so. Sex sells… especially when it’s a politician having the sex. Because, as we all know, politicians aren’t human. We hold them to a higher standard. They’re supposed to be priest/monk like in their actions. It’s not like I don’t understand why this is such a big story on a slow(er) news day.
But, today is not one of those days. A former world superpower has started a war with one of their former satellite countries! How is this not THE top story? Not only has a war started, but Georgia has applied to join NATO and is a close ally for the United States. Even more… we’re talking RUSSIA here. You know, that place across the ocean that we had a cold war with for several decades?! A war which is still deeply embedded into the subconscious of the America. Add to that an Olympics opening in the country which is feared to be the next great superpower.
Oh, let’s also not forget the wars America is involved in, in Iraq and Afghanistan. But, we already knew the media has long forgotten those story lines.
I just don’t get it.
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UPDATE: I didn’t see this until after my post, but how fitting is it that Jon Stewart did an interview about “breaking news” the day before all the above blew up.