CNN = Politics

CNN has been confounding me more than usual lately. And by lately I mean since the Obama inauguration. Obviously I'm not your generic conservative type to go screeching about liberal media bias...and even if I was - I'm not entirely sure this is what's going on. It's just that most everyday for the past two weeks I have been eating lunch in the company of Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs. He's become that guy that I sit next to in the imaginary lunchroom here in Unemployed Elitist world. Only he does most of the talking. The thing is - I'm having the dangest time recalling a single time sitting through a presser with any of Bush's press secretaries...unless like, the world was ending [and then it wouldn't be a press secretary]. At first I thought - oh, they are showing his first day on the job, okay...but then...it went on. Everyday. Usually plopped right in the middle of me watching DOOL. And it goes on...generally for one hour or more everyday.

I really don't know what to think. I mean, on one hand I guess it's interesting that CNN [and perhaps other all-news channels, but CNN is the only one I get] is choosing to air this unfiltered and, as of today, they are getting their new White House correspondent, Michael Henry to ask you, the viewers, emailed-in questions to Mr. Gibbs. But the thing is, and this is something that I am honestly wondering if CNN just does not get...the Office of the Press Secretary *is* just one big filter. It's like 90% spin and 10% information...and in this day and age of 24-hour news reporting, we generally know that information already. Not that I don't enjoy Mr. Gibbs and his folksy ways and deliberate manner of speaking [and I think that I can learn something from his style - but just not everyday] but it just seems that perhaps CNN could do their job and give us just the facts, ma'am. Or do some critical investigative journalism. Or talk about something [anything!] other than American politics. Seriously. As much as I enjoy politics I feel as though the election is still going on. That's all they ever talk about with very rare exception. This will probably come as groundbreaking news to some - but there are other things going on other than politics. Like - wars [ones that don't even involve the US], the economy in death throes [okay, they do talk about this - but usually in relation to politics], a number of humanitarian crises, the environment sucking, artsy fartsy cultural stuff....it's all out there CNN - it's a wild, wild word! Report on it! Even something like sports or entertainment - it's oh-so rarely mentioned...and while I know we have networks for both of those things, sometimes it's a nice break.

However, I have learned something from watching all these pressers. And that is that you can ask dumbass questions. Like, in the exact same breath as you ask some really serious question about Palestine - you can also ask what's being served @ the President's SuperBowl party or which baseball team he is likely to be tossing out the first pitch for in the spring. I think some press agency should have a journalist who only asks questions pulled from old issues of Tiger Beat.