I'm a news junkie, always have been, but lately the press seems to confuse news with junk. As a sometimes-journalist myself and a member in good standing of the National Press Club, I am embarrassed by what passes for news these days. For instance, enough already about birthers! Donald plays his Trump card and ignites a feeding frenzy to give him air time, news headlines and countless interviews. Let's face it, he's never going to run for president, but who can blame him for stoking up publicity to benefit his reality TV show and black hole of an ego. He is smart enough to know that no one cares about his opinions on the federal deficit or the Middle East, but if he caters to the birther 'movement'? Duh...Winning!
What does that say about us? The decision makers behind major media know that whether we love or despise birthers, we will watch anything to do with them. Unlike the other 'major' news story of the day, William and Kate's wedding, birther news attracts women AND men (as Jay Leno pointed out, two billion people were expected to watch the wedding, of which 175 would be men).
The purpose of television news, of course, is to sell products and for the past two years we haven't been buying as much. Hence, birthers 'Trump' real news. Let's face it, no one is going to watch people being slaughtered in Libya and go out to buy a car. And if you think the controversy is over because Obama produced yet another document to prove he was born in this country, Trump is demanding to see his college grades. I think that's a mistake though since many of us cringe at the thought of revealing our own college grades.
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Always good musings...and a great picture! :-)
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