Vetting the Candidates: An American Tradition

America is a country that prides itself on being able to identify a "straight shooter" or "the genuine article" when it comes to our leaders. As a nation we can "feel it in our gut" when someone is giving us a bum steer. We have a free press ("Free press" is trademarked by GE and Viacom) and freedom of speech (with the ability to monitor said free speech at the president's discretion). In other words, we vet our candidates thoroughly and with rigor.

We vetted Reagan and found out he was an ex-cowboy who starred at Notre Dame and was able to communicate with primates ala Jane Goodall. And after Reagan was vetted he rewarded our free press (™) by taking away some regulations that were making it hard for them to vet and merge and take over effectively. And the fifteen or so corporations that owned the media were thankful.

Bush Sr. was put through the ringer as well. We learned that he was an all-glove, no-bat first baseman who had probably killed people in cool ways at the CIA. And best of all he had hung with Reagan. Another job well done by the eight or nine corporations that owned the media at that time.

Then reform-minded Clinton came along and the five or six corporations that owned the media got to work again. We learned that in 1964 he had ordered a ham sandwich and then we went through literally every second of his existence from that point on. We even hired a full-time prosecutor to investigate him 24 hours a day. Now that's vetting. And while this was happening Clinton raised minimum wage and capital gains taxes and a slew of other things that made the four conglomerates that owned the media and most of Congress really mad. But finally the diligence of the American press and people paid off and we learned he had received a blow job. Once again America had vetted its leaders.

Next came W. Bush and the vetting kicked into high gear by the four companies that owned the press, W. Bush, Congress and mailboxes in the Bahamas. The American people did their part by listening to what that press said and believing them. Not always an easy task. We learned W. Bush was, like Reagan, a cowboy. And that he was a regular guy who, unlike Al Gore, loved Jesus. And oh yeah, the liberals whined about some other stuff like the fact that he deserted from the Air Force, bankrupted companies, had a huge gap in his resume during which he partied non-stop and had a bunch of DUIs...blah, blah. That aside he was the kind of guy you wanted to have a beer with which canceled out the swiftboating liberal noise.

And now a new crop of candidates comes before the discerning eyes of the American people, (who are too busy to be discerning because they work more hours for less pay and so pass the job of discernment on to the four corporations. I mean free press). And once again the vetting has been thorough. Only this time there's better graphics and Bill is craaazy. Whoo! I love me my vetting!!

After thousands of hours of news coverage we have learned that Hillary is a liar and Barack is a terrorist or something. I'm sure there will be stuff about their positions on the war, lobbying reform, the environment, the economy... I'm sure those details will receive exhaustive coverage. After all, that's what the entire job they're running for will be about. But vetting takes time... And Bill is craaazy!

John McCain on the other hand has locked up the Republican nomination and we know he was a war hero. But right now we're too busy looking into Hillary's lies and Barack's weird name to get too deep into McCain. The only other thing about McCain is that he once called his wife the C word in public. Other than that he seems to have a pretty clean--

Wait, what did you just say?

McCain called his wife the C word in public. It's in Cliff Schecter's new book The Real McCain. And three reporters verified the incident. Here's an excerpt:

Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain's intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain's hair and said, "You're getting a little thin up there." McCain's face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt." McCain's excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.

Hold on, let me drop the facetious tone I was using for the front part of this piece. John McCain called his wife the C-word (or for people from England: cunt) in front of a bunch of people?!!!!! And we're talking about Obama's preacher? McCain dropped a C-bomb and we're spending hours on Hillary exaggerating a trip to Bosnia?!!!

Okay, I get it. We let all Republicans and most Democrats off the hook because they will roll over for the companies that own the media and in McCain's case literally get blown by lobbyists, but come on! Are we not even remotely pretending anymore?

George W. Bush was a silver spoon dolt with no record to speak of other than bankruptcy and selling tropical plants and we let him sail into the White House but Barack talks about religious fundamentalism and guns being prevalent in poor areas and we roast him for weeks?

That isn't just a bias, that's deranged. Big money has seriously warped us. When there is a school shooting the news doesn't talk about basic gun control, they talk about video games and their influence on kids. When we learn that the Vice President planted false news stories to take us to war we get outraged about Simon being too mean to contestants on fucking American Idol. And why? Because big money has log jammed our voice and we know it's too hard to do anything about it. So the dollar drops, the insane war continues, polar bears drown, school shootings continue, the trade deficit soars, gas prices go through the roof and this country fades as quietly as someone falling asleep in front of the TV.

We're not a stupid country; we're comfortable and afraid. Afraid to hear the truth. Our leaders talk to us like a parent avoiding the subject of sex with an eight-year-old and we eat it up. And when someone like Obama talks to us like grown-ups we vet him. And vet him.

Think about it, when was the last time there was any coverage about specific plans to withdraw from Iraq? Or how to curb the influence of big money in Washington? Or re-regulating the media? I watch the news a lot. And I can't remember one time unless you count Bill Moyers or Keith Olberman. This whole game is like someone stealing a person's car by slowly getting them to forget how to drive.

A presidential candidate called his wife the C-word in public.

We have lost the ability to generate our own agenda as a people. This one's easy peesy. It involves a dirty word, an anger disorder and male pattern baldness for cripes sakes. That's the triple crown. And I've heard next to nothing. So if we can't get it up for this what hope do we have for dealing with the really important stuff? And meanwhile in our newsrooms they call law clerk after law clerk... "Did Barack ever say anything sexually suggestive to you...? What about inappropriate physical contact?... Are you sure?"

Comments

[slink]

Was it really your intent to suggest that Keith Olberman (in the tank for Obama) and Bill Boyers (Trinity Church as in Rev. Wright member) are providing comprehensive election coverage as well as adequately vetting candidates? That's funny!

Seriously, married people can and do resort to name calling.

Where were you and the rest of the MSM LAST YEAR when information available to adequately vet Senator Obama was available? Your article appears desperate and bitter.

[speakingtruth2power]

Project much?

[speakeasy]

slink, since you're a little slow I'll explain this to you. When the writer refers to the C-word getting little attention in the press it is in comparison to the reams of paper dedcated to haircuts (Edwards), funny names (Obama), blowjobs (BC) etc... He's making a point that the media picks apart every detail of the Dems lives and very little on Repubs even though bombshells are being dropped daily.
Olberman and Moyers provide coverage that lambastes even their own choices when applicable. Both go into seemingly idiotic rants on occassion, but no more than any others out there. I likhem because they discuss repercussions to us of bad decisions, instead of just concentrating on the debate.
Your post appears imbecilic and naive, with a lack of common sense and touch of ignorance thrown in....

[JiminNC]

Did you just rationalize calling your mate a c$nt in public? (or anywhere else for that matter)

Negates any other opinions you may have.

[vernonbc]

Bravo Adam! One of the best pieces I've read. Every single word is, sadly, oh so true.

[SteelMaggie]

In the words of Ani Difranco:

"TV is, after all, the modern day Roman coliseum,
human devastation as mass entertainment
and now millions sit jeering
collectively cheering
the bloodthirsty hierarchy of the patriarchal arrangemen­t."

Sad that the "news" is part of that gladiator mentality.

[jubo]

Television bought the revolution. (Gil Scott-Heron paraphrase)

[TracieLynn]

Nice job laying it out. Absurd, isn't it?

[JulieSA]

"...and in McCain's case literally get blown by lobbyists.­.."

Do you have any evidence at all for that? Don't bother citing the NYT article--there was nothing there but speculation.

Why do you feel so comfortable relying on rumor and innuendo? My motto is: Trust, but verify. Always vet sources, and don't present rumors as fact, even if the rumors are about someone whom I dislike.

I don't trust any writer who lacks skepticism. Such writers are easily misled.

[speakingtruth2power]

If the left can't prove something, the right's version must be accepted, right Julie?

The problem with 'what's truth' is that four Corporations own the only version of it!

[jackiekahane]

No, the presumption of innocence is like this, I don't know, kind of a TRADITION in our country. The way McKay just threw it inas an aside, as if it's accepted by historians is kind of evil, don't ya think?

[WAstateliberal]

Okay Julie, let's put that aside. He called his wife a cunt, though, and you say nothing about it. The most misogynisitic slur on the books, directed at his WIFE, and the media says nothing. Gee, I am so excited at the prospect of this prick being our president. Julie, do you think this word promotes respect for women, and has the effect of reducing domestic violence, workplace and campus harassment, and sexual assault? Do think that any of these things has something, maybe just a little, to do with the denigration of women?

[Snowball]

Thanks for this. Finally a blogger at HuffPo calls out the media for what it is: giant corporate conglomerates that have a vested financial and political stake in shilling for Republicans.

How in the world did you manage to get this post past Arianna?

[TheCult]

What the hell? Are you new here? The MSM (mainstream media) is excoriated all the time here on Huffpo. And why would you think think that Arianna would be against this blog by Adam? Do you read Huffpo regularly? Or Arianna's blogs? Huffpo is not a corporate owned or run website, there are blogs everyday which take on the vested interests of the corporate world since this website began, especially Arianna's. In fact this website is the leading voice for progressive views on teh entire interwebs, where have you been?

[Snowball]

I read it all the time, and just as you just did, Arianna refuses to call it the Corporate Media. She either uses MSM (wholly inaccurate) or Traditional Media (totally meaningless). Arianna, as much as I appreciate her and what she has done with HuffPo, is completely incapable of referring to the media as corporate and therefore, her analysis of why it behaves as a mouthpiece for right wing spin and propaganda is completely specious and off the mark. I refer you to her most recent blogs on the subject.

I presume the reason she doesn't use the term Corporate Media is because if she did, they'd never let her do any of the talk shows anymore.

[Truthortradition]

The real reason the media doesn't seem to care about the fact that McCain used the C word towards his wife is the same reason Hillary gets treated the way she has been treated throughout this entire campaign.
Sexism is allowed and running rampant throughout this nation. But never forget for minute that good old fashioned Racism is not allowed.
That's a fact.
That's why women still earn 23 less income than a man in the same job in America.
That's why America has the highest incident of rape than any other country in the world.
Most women think all is fair because anyone who tells them differently is immediately nailed as a fat lesbian. I'm neither.
I'm also not surprised that the male-dominated media barely mentioned the fact that on Wednesday, the Republicans fillibusted a Democratic bill, the Ledbetter bill, that would have helped ensure equal pay for women.
Like I have said many times--------this is a man's world. Live with it or learn to vote.
Women are 51 percent of the population. Too bad we can't seem determine our own destiny by becoming educated voters. Until we do, conservative men who call us the C word will continue to rule the roost.


.

[John51]

Will any woman do?

[Truthortradition]

I'm voting for Hillary because she is the MOST qualified candidate and yes, I shamelessly want her to win because she is a woman and not a member of the status quo-----namely men.
I love men unless they happen to be like McCain, a man who throws the C word at his wife without thinking.
I love men unless they happen to be a Republican sexist jerk.
To answer your question------No, not just any woman. She must be qualified and a warrior for all the people in this nation, like Hillary.

[ChitownObamabot]

Sexism is alive and well..But if you think for one moment racism is not allowed you are kidding yourself. You are witnessing the attempted assassination by Media of Obama...ri­ght in front of your eyes. The media consistently marginalizes the black vote in this country and its more than upsetting. When was the last time you heard anyone in the MSM ask "Why can't Hillary get more than 8% of the black vote?" No its Obama that must get more than 40% of the white vote.

How many times have you heard anything about McCain seeking the endorsement of Rev. Hagee....i­f Rev. Wright is Wrong...Ha­gee is a LUNATIC. Where is the criticism of McCain?? Why is there no Criticism of a man that calls his wife a Cunt...Tal­ks about reducing lobbyist strangle on Washington yet almost 100% of his senior campaign staff are lobbyist??? The blatant double standard is remarkable and if it is not based on race (MSM not ready for Obama, and trying to convince us we aren't either) then what the hell is it?

Frankly I have more respect for a Klan member....­I know where he stands and he's man enough to say it to my face.

[Truthortradition]

Interesting that that you ask why the wife of the first black President, Bill Clinton, is unable to get more than 8 percent of the black vote against a black candidate.
I would say it has alot to do with racism. These voters see the color of her skin and then they see the color of Obama's skin and vote accordingly. In simple terms, Blacks are voting for Obama because Hillary isn't black. Nor is she a man.
Put simply, Many Men, by their own admission, aren't voting for Hillary because she's not a man.
As a member of the ACLU, I truly understand that racism still exists in America today. However, I also know from watching this primary that racism is most definitely a dying disease compared to sexism, which is clearly alive and well and THRIVING.
For example, No one dare tell Obama to go pick some cotton, but they don't hesitate to tell Hillary to get back in the kitchen.
Obama has faced little criticism until now. The kitchen is just starting to warm up. Just wait till the Republican KKK members get through with him.
Meanwhile, Hillary has been under fire from the right, from the left and from every sexist jerk in the nation for more than a year and she's still standing.

[Snowball]

If Hillary were a Republican, she'd get the same kid glove treatment that they give GWBII and McCain. Sexism, while prevalent, does not explain the Corporate Media's behavior. It's all about the politics of corporate deregulation.

[Jjc2006]

BINGO. Nail meet hammer.

You really nailed it. But shhhhhhh!! Here at Obamington, implying anything about how badly the press has treated Senator Clinton will get you attacked. On this blog, the press is CHEERED when they lie about Clinton; defended if they use sexism against her. And like the male dominated press, this blog has tunnelvision.
Last night on C-span, a caller nailed Arianna on her unfair treatment of Senator Clinton. It was great.
People here will NOT believe it even though any NEGATIVE about Senator Clinton is in giant RED letters. And because Senators Clinton and Obama are so close on issues, it's all about the personal attack. Clinton says something about experience and she is being negative..­....Obama calls her an ambitious manipulator here and that's OK. It's a shame because for me, this blog has lost it's credibility by using personal bias.

[Incredulous]

Come on! Hillary has been whining about her treatment by the media since day one! She's been playing the sexism card, and then playing the victim card. Over and over again. She's a manipulator! Dare not question the great and powerful Hillary, about ANYTHING, or you're just a sexist, or a misogynist. Any criticism of Hillary, no matter how real or justified, is decried as sexist. What a crock of shit!

[John51]

I have also noticed the Pile-On of Obama and at first didn't think much about it. As the barrage consolidated and intensified, it occurred to me that the Main Stream Media (MSM) is actually owned by 5 very large corporations and as Sen. Obama's odds of gaining the nomination and, ultimately the Presidency, have become very favorable, these corporations are becoming increasingly concerned. Sen. Obama is a Change Agent and, as thus, not the corporate choice for the Presidency. At first they attacked Hillary, and now Barrack, while the serious issues surrounding Sen. McCain’s go unreported. I am certain the attack orders came from the corporate chiefs; ABC's Hit Job during the Debate was the first full frontal attack that really took on the appearance of a well coordinated effort. It continues today with the outrageous post PA MSM coverage and support of Hillary’s and McCain’s Talking Points, as if they were fact based. Each day the Headlines become increasingly more preposterous. Sen. McCain, as a senate committee member governing the media has influence, but so may we, as consumers. We can fight back. If someone has the organization and communication medium to start a boycott of just one entity we can take them down. We can dump their stock, stop watching, listening, and reading their mediums, stop consuming their product period; this may influence their decisions. We can demand equal and fair coverage of the issues without an agenda instead of the gossip we have been fed.

[Albertde]

The real reason that the media are getting scared of Obama is because he, an ex-lecturer in Constitutional Law, will have his Attorney general investigate and charge, as applicable, Bush/Cheney and their cohorts with all the crimes they committed against your constitution. (Hillary won't do that as she wants the same "freedom of action".)

[POINT84]

Americans are intelligent, just insanely ignorant

[liberalpatriot1]

This guy gets it - all of it!

[CatfishJohn]

...sir, excellent essay.... Keep in mind John McCain isnt being and wont be truly vetted at all... instead, he is recieving on a daily basis another layer of teflon from the corporate media and his true personality and flaws(rage, signs of mild early dementia, finishing at the bottom 1% of his naval academy class, lack of basic knowledge of economics,) are being dutifully air brushed away by a corporate media who knows and likes a corporations-first "Bush III " agenda when they see it...all-a­merican johnny will be promulgatged as a true american war hero. ---never you mind his voting agaisnt increases in VA health care for war returning vets 5 tiems since 2001...pol­icy issues???.­..the corporate media "dont need no stinkin' policy issues" in order to prepare THEIR PRO-MCCAIN SLANT over the next 6 months...b­lunders???­...ah, the man is a war vet....giv­e him his space.... an immense web of sticky lobbyist connection­s?..... Nah, John is an independent -minded "maverick"­..because cbs, nbc, abc and of course Fox say it is so!

[slayer2369]

There are two key reasons, in my opinion, why we the people are in the situation we are in regarding the media.
Reason 1: The politicians give all sorts of favors to corporations, and now, as there is a military-industrial complex, a similar thing exists with corporations and politicians. Politicians give favors to the corporations, and in exchange the corporations give donations and favorable press.
Reason 2: Because of this dynamic, the corporate media have two tasks ahead of them: To present politician X in a certain way, whether it be favorable or not, and to convince the viewers to agree with their form of journalism, especially during an election period. The media simply cannot come out and say "We support politician X, so they manipulate the presentation of the news in a manner that they hope will elicit the response from the viewer that they seek to achieve. Which most likely is for the voter to vote for the candidate that corporate media outlet supports. Helping to dull the populace senses to make it easier to achieve this goal, the media will trivialize the truly important issue and make the trivial important. Policies and past voting habits of the candidates come secondary to issues such as whether or not a candidate wears a flag pin, or threw away medals in protest of a war he later felt unjust, or if they can bowl, if they drink beer, or if you can watch a ballgame with them.

[lessthanimpressed]

Whoah dude....yo­u say "We're not a stupid country; we're comfortable and afraid. Afraid to hear the truth", and yet you try to maintain that grown adults in the USA are not stupid....­...

Stupid is as stupid does, according to your president, Forrest Gump. Given that so many of you are God botherers, try this. "When I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things." I Cor. xiii. 11".

Try growing up.

[gevan]

Have you heard this one: "You can fool all of the people some of the time, and you can fool some of the people [in the estimation of the GOP; 51%] all of the time." The rest of the quote is irrelevant.