GMA's Snow: Long on Looks, Short on Substance

Being an early-to-bed type, I taped SNL overnight and was playing it this morning when Good Morning America's Sunday show came on. Watching co-host Kate Snow's performance, I was tempted to double-check to make sure I hadn't inadvertently hit the VCR button in the midst of a parody of vacuous blonde MSMer.

The screen capture here is revealing. When it comes to posing prettily, Snow's a peppy pro. But when it came to substance, she revealed not merely a tired MSM bias, but a lack of preparation and perhaps an even more inherent flaw.

For starters, consider Snow's choice of sources. She began by citing the NY Times, and had as her expert guest John Dickerson of the left-leaning online magazine Slate.

Her opening shot: "Are the Republican candidates down there distancing themselves from President Bush?"

When Dickerson observed that the Republicans are "worried that the president's approval ratings are really going to hurt the party and do permanent damage," Snow summarized things for viewers: "Right, drag them down." Thanks for explaining.

Turning to the results of the straw poll, won by Bill Frist, Snow incisively asked: "Is this a good sign for Frist?" No, Kate, winning a poll is normally considered an irremediable disaster.

When Dickerson mentioned that John McCain finished last, Snow was ready with this finely-honed inquiry: "What's up with that?"

Dickerson explained that straw polls are sometimes affected by the participation of a home-state candidate. Snow again put her own inimitable stamp on things:

"So [straw polls are] sometimes not exactly indicative of the true support of the country?"

Er, right, Kate.

Finkelstein lives in Ithaca, NY. 'Right Angle', the TV show he hosts, was recently named 'Best of the Best' among public-access shows in his area. Contact him at: mark@gunhill.net