Every day I turn on my satellite radio, fire up my web browser and turn on my television (not all at the same time, mind you) in an attempt to glean as much information, from as many sources, as I can as it relates to this year’s elections. All of them claim to be THE place to come to for REAL reporting on all things politics. Cleverly-named shows, flashy “Breaking News” banners, complex graphs and charts, and audio stingers straight out of a pantheon of science fiction movies abound. Authoritative-sounding anchors wearing stylish clothing, sporting blindingly-white teeth and perfectly-coiffed hair are everywhere, as far as the eye can see. Some of them even sound as if they might know what in the world they’re talking about.
But then reality sets in.
Multiple times already this year, we have been subjected treated to stories about email servers, charitable foundations, conspiracy theories about the health of a candidate, and of course, about Benghazi. Some of it has been news-worthy, most of it has not. The right likes to complain that there is a media bias against them, however, studies have shown otherwise. . .the media bias is in their favor.
Just in the last few weeks, both AP and Politico have taken turns at putting forward non-stories as smoking guns. . .generating unnecessary and unfounded hype in an effort to draw readers and other news outlets into the snare in an effort to drive up advertising revenues.
Jennifer Granholm was on MSNBC taking them to task on Meet The Press Daily for helping to forward the narrative that the race is close. She also made it a point to push back against the false and misleading Politico story:
x YouTube VideoPeople have just about had their fill of the need of the media to create a close election where most polling indicates there isn’t one. Take this user from Twitter, Liberal Juice, who calls out several media outlets for their election year cash grab:
x(1/3) @politico@CNNPolitics@MSNBC - Unsubstantiated and disproven stories about @HillaryClinton receive nonstop breathless "reporting"...
— Liberal Juice (@LiberalJuice) September 1, 2016 x(2/3) @politico@CNNPolitics@MSNBC - @realDonaldTrump with daily lies (on video) & possible lawbreaking on immigration: Mostly crickets...
— Liberal Juice (@LiberalJuice) September 1, 2016 x(3/3) @politico@CNNPolitics@MSNBC - I know you need a horserace or politics isn't profitable. Could you at least pretend to be reporters?
— Liberal Juice (@LiberalJuice) September 1, 2016And then, seemingly on cue, Liberal Juice catches MSNBC in the act:
xJust heard a panelist on @MSNBC MTP Daily panel say "We're going to do all we can to make this race suspenseful." My point proven. Ugh...
— Liberal Juice (@LiberalJuice) September 1, 2016Truly, this is disgusting.