The following discussion will feel like the Escher painting version of a discussion of the Media. It's a media piece about a media piece discussing media coverage of a tyrant's ranting against the media, and how the solution is that partially the media shouldn't make itself (the media) the focus of the story. Got that? Whew.
Everyone knows how President Pussygrabber feels about the media. Chris Jansing played more coverage today of last night's rally in Pennsylvania where he was supposed to be campaigning for gubernatorial candidate Lou Barletta. Instead, he was who he was, and spent the time maligning the media for sh*ts and giggles. Jansing asked her guests, Caitlin Huey-Burns and Nick Confessore if they should simply stop covering him.
JANSING: There's another thought out there, Nick and Caitlin, and I'll start with you, Caitlin, that just don't go to the briefings. Don't go to the rallies. Don't give it oxygen. No news is being made. Lies are being told. The Washington Post says that the number of lies is escalating. Send one Associated Press reporter. Basically send the pool. You're not going to stop covering the president of the United States but stop giving it all the oxygen. What's your thought on that, Caitlin?
Huey-Burns addressed the press briefings, and felt it was important to go, but it was Nick Confessore who had the real solution to this infuriating problem. Balance. Focus. Step away from the mirror, media. We can refuse to give him what he wants and still do our jobs.
CONFESSORE: The only people less popular than Congress and the president are the media. It's plain the president wants to make this a campaign issue to frame the entire election around the media.
JANSING: And at least, with his base, it's working.
CONFESSORE: I don't think we should give him what he wants. We are not the story. I think the way we and our colleagues make the story about us is a mistake. I don't think we have to boycott or give everything to him in terms of coverage. There's a middle ground. You can go and choose what's newsworthy. And, I, for one, speaking just for myself, think there is too much B roll of his rallies, and too much basic coverage of what is said that makes no news, and simply amplifies attacks that are personal.
YYYYYYEEEEESSSSSSS. Go, and choose what is newsworthy. It is not newsworthy that he spews hate at the media any longer. Too much coverage of what is not news. And please, for the love of all that is holy, stop interrupting other programming to cover his rallies live. Nothing new will happen there. He is as boring as paint. But go, record, and if anything newsworthy occurs, you can show that footage or report on it when necessary.
The answer doesn't have to be either boycott or stream a go-pro attached to his oversized tie.
This solution, by the way, is a solution our revered managing editor, Karoli Kuns, has been advocating loudly for MONTHS. So, Nick Confessore - you're in excellent company.
