Is it possible to have just one thing that’s the worst thing about American politics? Yes. Wolf Blitzer and CNN.
Alright, that’s two things, but they’re kind of wound tightly together. In fact, Wolf is wound so tight he keeps saying the same thing over and over. CNN has “the best political team on television.”
Enough already. How many times a day do CNN’s viewers need to know that, Wolf? CNN’s political coverage is a cable television production of The Stepford Wives in Atlanta. Everyone at CNN says the same thing.
Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, John Roberts, and everyone else– except Larry King, whom I suspect already died a year or two ago, because I haven’t seen him around– mimics the same tired phrase.
Personally, I prefer watching NBC’s Chris Mattews talk politics, with occasional commentary by Tom Brokaw and Brian Williams, to anything on CNN– except Rudi Bakhtiar (whose lovely face graced CNN as a reader on Headline News years ago).
Historically, political campaigns are made up of a series of slogans. President Obama was the change agent. John Edwards was the candidate of excess hair (and libido). Hillary Clinton was the queen of mean who became a good solider (I made those up).
Political coverage uses slogans, too. Fox claims to be fair and balanced, proving that the lies of politicians can be repurposed in media.
Wolf Blitzer is entitled to his opinion about CNN’s political team. I’m entitled to mine. I think if Wolf Blitzer shaved his beard he’d look like Hillary Clinton’s twin brother.
There are other issues with politics and how it mixes with broadcasting. Two words: Faux News.