Regardless of the results, watching election returns on TV can be detrimental to good mental health. Last night saw us bouncing between MSNBC, NECN (New England Cable News), CNN, and Comedy Central. One “serious†national channel – MSNBC – included a cast of thousands led by Chris Mathews and Keith Olbermann. I mostly avoid cable news stations and I was reminded why last night. Mathews is a self-centered, egomaniacal, know-it-all screamer who turned the elections into a melodrama all about him. Trying unsuccessfully to bully Howard Dean into taking responsibility for ending the Iraq War was not the least of his rants, but one of the more telling ones. He actually believes that Dean must demand that all U.S., troops pull out of Iraq tomorrow or he has lost his credibility. This was a theme last night – “all right, mister know-it-all, you won so what will you do to get out of Iraqâ€. Hmmm – I thought the president was in charge of foreign policy. Thought he got us in on a whim and a lie, so silly me thought it was his responsibility to find a way out.
The inaptly named Wolf Blitzer led CNN’s efforts – no more need be said. Simply awful. Expounding the obvious made into another kind of melodrama.
NECN actually did a better job – quieter, more thoughtful, less self-serving, and no posturing by R.D. Sahl and his colleagues.
As for Comedy Central – Stewart and Colbert were fun for about 15 minutes and then committed the cardinal sin of comedy – they became boring.
Our friend Mackenzie Brothers comments regularly on the fatuousness of American politics and the American press. He lives in Canada and is in Europe this fall and I am happy for him. But he would have had something to say about the way we report on what would be the most important decisions made in a democracy if they were made and reported on seriously.