Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Tue, Oct 14 2003
Tricking The Media Goliaths, Treating The Media Davids...
When President Bush decided to give interviews to regional media earlier this week, he worried me. I had visions of a school in which the principal puts his arm around the yearbook editor's shoulder and quietly says that he's going to tell her something to pass along to the rest of the students, because the journalism sponsor is biased and can't be relied on to convey the principal's thoughts in a correct and fair manner. The chosen child is, of course, highly flattered at being singled out as a pivotal figure in his or her class. It reminds me too much of the authority figure who uses position and authority to both flatter and control. I have never met President Bush, and I certainly can't read his mind. Maybe he intended no disrespect whatsoever in what he did. But the whole thing is nagging at me in very dark ways. Was this a nudge behind the knee to the major media outlets in general? Was it a coaxing to garner favoritism from regional news dispensers? Was it a message to the general public that we can't trust the big bad media, but we can trust President Bush? Why did he feel the need to do such a thing? And why now?
posted at: 16:29 | category: /Politics | link to this entry
When President Bush decided to give interviews to regional media earlier this week, he worried me. I had visions of a school in which the principal puts his arm around the yearbook editor's shoulder and quietly says that he's going to tell her something to pass along to the rest of the students, because the journalism sponsor is biased and can't be relied on to convey the principal's thoughts in a correct and fair manner. The chosen child is, of course, highly flattered at being singled out as a pivotal figure in his or her class. It reminds me too much of the authority figure who uses position and authority to both flatter and control. I have never met President Bush, and I certainly can't read his mind. Maybe he intended no disrespect whatsoever in what he did. But the whole thing is nagging at me in very dark ways. Was this a nudge behind the knee to the major media outlets in general? Was it a coaxing to garner favoritism from regional news dispensers? Was it a message to the general public that we can't trust the big bad media, but we can trust President Bush? Why did he feel the need to do such a thing? And why now?
posted at: 16:29 | category: /Politics | link to this entry
