Meredith Shiner wins a Spotty ™
For her August 20th article in The New Republic, titled Beware the Pundit-Brained Version of the Democratic Convention, Meredith Shiner wins the coveted Spotty™. The article’s subhed explains the article very well. The question is: the media or your lyin’ eyes? Shiner says pick your lying’ eyes.
As everyday Americans tune in to watch Kamala Harris receive her party’s nomination, they should trust what they see with their own eyes—especially as D.C.’s chattering class tries to gaslight them.
Just a few quotations from the article:
“Now, with nearly four years of Trump out of the White House, Trump back on the trail, and a Democrat at the top of the ticket who can actually campaign, the gap between the Beltway Truman Show and what people outside of D.C. actually are experiencing is widening. And this rift in reality imperils the media at a time when journalism is fighting a multifront war against anti-truth Republicans, declining revenue, and predatory venture capital mismanagement.”
“[W]e are watching the national media short-circuit before our very eyes. They are insular. They are unprepared. And after years of watching Morning Joe and searching for their birthdays in the Politico Playbook, they do not see their role as speaking to us, but rather speaking to themselves. While this may seem ancillary to the main plotline of our national politics, the mainstream media own-goaling themselves out of civic relevance is a net negative for anyone who believes in the outcome of better, more representative, good government.”
They suffer from what another writer called “main character syndrome.”
“The roller-coaster news cycle of this summer has revealed not only how little the media have learned from the Trump era of politics, but also how badly they want their little old world back, one where Republican operatives dressed as cable news pundits can shape the decision-making of the Democratic Party, “sensible” Democratic leaders are the ones who tack to the right to win over voters and politicians who can never be won, and everyone can grab a martini at Café Milano—Washington, D.C.’s version of what the late Anthony Bourdain would call “The Despots’ Club”—and laugh about it afterwards.”
That one should leave a mark. Anyway, that’s enough. Just go and read it.
Remember, a Spotty™ is awarded for an op-ed, letter to the editor, or web post or comment that I wish I had written myself.
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