In yesterday's New York Times, columnist Ross Douthat chronicled the media's obsession with Donald Trump. This valuable article showed more clearly why Trump is such a factor in the current race. It has been obvious for some time that the media -- or major parts of it -- were, in effect, promoting Trump and I have said so here.
Just why they have done this is a study. There are pragmatic reasons why they have almost hysterically featured Trump, and then there are deeper reasons. The pragmatic reasons have, of course, to do with ratings.
But there are deeper reasons, I suspect. These reasons have to do with a weird combination of admiration for Trump's pizzazz, and disdain for his political naivete. Unfortunately, at least in New York, it seems that the show-biz quality of the man has been more important than any considerations about Trump's lack of qualification to be President.
This is a grievous error on the part of the media, practically unpardonable. To turn the office of the Presidency into a position of celebrity is virtually a crime. Of course, we have had dazzle before, most notably in John Kennedy. What is new in this case is a vastly expanded media reaching through television, radio, newspapers, and now the Internet into virtually every home with a sheen of approval for a man decidedly unqualified for the Presidency in both experience and temperament.
The media must own up to their complicity in this outrage or be forced to.
New York Media Values Trump
Just why they have done this is a study. There are pragmatic reasons why they have almost hysterically featured Trump, and then there are deeper reasons. The pragmatic reasons have, of course, to do with ratings.
But there are deeper reasons, I suspect. These reasons have to do with a weird combination of admiration for Trump's pizzazz, and disdain for his political naivete. Unfortunately, at least in New York, it seems that the show-biz quality of the man has been more important than any considerations about Trump's lack of qualification to be President.
This is a grievous error on the part of the media, practically unpardonable. To turn the office of the Presidency into a position of celebrity is virtually a crime. Of course, we have had dazzle before, most notably in John Kennedy. What is new in this case is a vastly expanded media reaching through television, radio, newspapers, and now the Internet into virtually every home with a sheen of approval for a man decidedly unqualified for the Presidency in both experience and temperament.
The media must own up to their complicity in this outrage or be forced to.
New York Media Values Trump
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