10 March 2007 - 10:18am
Conservatives, media target Giuliani, loaded for bear
They just can't seem to stand how Rudy Giuliani continues to lead the Republican contenders for the White House. I can't count how many times I've heard the "expert" reporters on Washington Week, This Week, the NewsHour and other mainstream media outlets crow how Giuliani's private life, support of gay rights and acknowledgment of women's authority over their own bodies mean that he is in for trouble as the primaries approach -- even as his political star rises week by week when it comes to what the people want.
While there's no doubt that the front-runners today can't be considered de facto front-runners come 2008 -- witness how Hillary Clinton continues her slow implosion of being right but not very presidential with each and every public appearance -- it's funny how the media treats the candidates.
Note how the same pundits claim that Clinton is unstoppable.
Thesis: The folks in the media love a good story, and conflict makes for a good story. A Giuliani nomination would be rather dull conflict-wise, since on social issues he's much more like a Democrat. It's hard to paint black-and-white -- "right" vs. "left" -- political storytelling with Rudy carrying the GOP banner. (And if he by chance does win the nomination, then the media figures can delight in how he "defied expectations" -- just their own expectations, but never mind that.)
On the other hand, these folks love the idea of a polarizing figure like Hillary Clinton getting the Democratic nod. Then there will certainly be a nice and ugly campaign to cover, full of overblown rhetoric that will make writing political stories so much easier and fun.
In other words, the drama the mainstream media are painting arises out of their own preconceptions, their own inside-the-Beltway brand of conventional wisdom.
[Personally I don't plan to vote for Rudy, even if he's up against Hillary (who is at best 4th in my Democratic nomination preferences, behind Barack Obama, John Edwards, Bill Richardson -- and Al Gore, too, if he runs), but he's a hell of a lot less frightening than the brown-nosing John McCain, the two-faced Mitt Romney, the Dominion-minded Sam Brownback, the slicker-than-Willie Newt Gingrich and the other ugly-of-uglies in American politics.]
media girl also blogs at other places.
Similar entries
- AP demonstrating irrelevance. Just look at these political headlines....
- Not liberal enough, not centrist enough, not experienced enough, too much the politician, Obama just can't win ... except, maybe
- Predictions for the coming political season
- Giuliani supports Homophobia Amendment to U.S. Constitution
- This was Hillary's nomination to lose, and she -- not the media -- lost it
store
Buy stuff here.
Comments
Don't you think this: "the Dominion-minded Sam Brownback" is a little unfair? Would you care to back up your allegation?
While I agree with your assessment of RINOs like Guiliani, Romney and the laughable McCain, I think you're buying into MSM spin (or non-coverage) of Sam Brownback.
On one thing we do agree however. Hillary Clinton is at best 4th overall if I had to choose among the Democrat candidates. Obama is much more interesting than another Clinton.
I hope you visit Blogs4Brownback and reconsider your fear of him. He's a principled conservative in many ways that President Bush is not. Liberals and conservatives can work together. It's just that the GOP doesn't seem to be interested in conservatives any more.
Just my 2 cents.
...and every time he starts talking about things like "faith-based prisons," I just roll my eyes. "Principled conservative"? What is that supposed to mean? Anyone who wants to mix religion into government not on an individual basis but on an institutional basis doesn't understand the Constitution, and certainly does not honor the roots of conservatism in America. A bigger and stronger government that lords it over the people with Bible in hand is not a principled concept to me, unless you want to put it into the context of early brownshirt rallies.