Why can't everyone just settle down, get out of the way, get rid of the "distractions," and let Barack Obama do his magic? That seems to be a recurring media meme during this presidential transition period.
Here are just a few examples in just the past 30 days:
- In a December 12 "analysis" piece at Reuters, Steve Holland opened by telling readers that "A political scandal that led to the arrest of Illinois' governor has become an unwelcome distraction for President-elect Barack Obama as he tries to keep his focus on preparing to run the country."
- Amanda Paulson's Christian Science Monitor report on December 23 about Obama's internal investigation of contacts between his team and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich fretted that "As the saga of Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his alleged “political corruption crime spree” has played out over the past two weeks, it’s been an unwelcome distraction for another politician from Illinois: President-elect Obama."
- And yesterday, Brent Baker of NewsBusters caught ABC World News Tonight anchor Dan Harris worrying that Bill Richardson's unexpected withdrawal as Commerce Secretary nominee might be "a distraction in the key early days."
AFP's Jitendra Joshi offered up the latest example yesterday:
In distraction for Obama, chaos stalks new Senate
The new US Senate is set to convene in a swirl of allegations of corruption, voter fraud and dynastic nepotism that threatens to dog the early days of Barack Obama's presidency.
..... The senatorial to-and-fro is an unwelcome distraction for Obama as he prepares to take office on January 20, reliant on a focused Congress to enact his ambitious plans including a mammoth economic stimulus package.
Republican blocking tactics in the Senate could undermine that agenda, especially if the Democrats' provisional working majority of 59-41 is weakened by court challenges.
The circus surrounding Burris -- and more specifically around Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich -- is a distraction closer to home for the president-elect following his weekend move to Washington from Chicago.
You see, it's such a shame that unimportant things like criminal investigations and election disputes are happening. Apparently, nothing should get in the way of Barack Obama and his appointed agenda.
By taking up precious column inches and bandwidth bellyaching about "distractions," the press is also able to avoid explaining how different the agenda of Obama the president-elect appears to be in comparison to the agenda of Obama the candidate, and how remarkably fluid it seems to be on a nearly day-to-day basis.
Not so coincidentally, if that agenda, whatever it is, fails to materialize or to become law, the press can cite the distractions it has been dutifully qualifying as convenient excuses. After all, discussing what might have been wrong with the agenda in the first place would be so, well, distracting.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
—Tom Blumer is president of a training and development company in Mason, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to NewsBusters
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Just like Florida was a
January 6, 2009 - 09:13 ET by taterJust like Florida was a distraction to Bush when he was taking office in 2000.
And that distraction has since led to a warming globe.
www.theholyrosary.org
"There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we can not resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary." -Sister Lucia
The people who have been
January 6, 2009 - 09:16 ET by Hunter12The people who have been watching Obama day-in and day-out for the past two years are worried about his ability to focus on more than one thing at a time. Maybe the rest of America should be worried as well.
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." - Sir Winston Churchill
What's the noise I hear?
January 6, 2009 - 09:27 ET by celatorWhat's the noise I hear? Oh, it's the wind whistling through Obama's empty suit.
MSM covered for him during the election, they make excuses for him now. Just pathetic.
The Great Multi-tasker?
January 6, 2009 - 09:29 ET by i was just thinkingLet's all think back to the financial meltdown just prior to the elections. We were told how John McCain couldn't seem to focus on more than one thing at a time, and the President must be one who can multi-task - who has the innate ability to deal with multiple problems/issues/crises.
Then, we were told that Obama possesses that ability. We were told of his marvelous ability to deal with many different issues at the same time.
He's not even in office yet. He has no real responsibility yet. He basically has to answer for nothing yet. But he can't handle all of these "distractions"?
Dear Lord, we're in trouble.
Herd mentality
January 6, 2009 - 09:43 ET by KC MulvilleIf we were to see a thorough investigation of each of these "stories," and a couple sidebar items about how it's affecting Obama, I could live with that. But there is minimal investigation into the actual stories, and the media is repeating the side story.
What does that tell you? It says that these reporters don't know where the news actually is, so they follow where everyone else is going.
They know where the news
January 6, 2009 - 09:49 ET by sherylsimsThey know where the news is, they just don't want to go there. I think most of them are hoping to be the one who is singled out to be his special biographer or something. They are just all so awestruck that they wouldn't DARE report an actual story of NEWS just in case it cast a shadow on their career. Wussies!
DON'T make me repeat repeat myself myself!
Obama wont be 'distracted"
January 6, 2009 - 10:27 ET by auldsailor362he will just be waiting for his (fill in the blank) committee to give him a report. And thus there shall be a four year wonderland in America where we poor unwashed will never see the sun.