I've been thinking about the election too long, but my fatigued gray matter surfaced one question yesterday before the results started coming in. It's not a question I've ever considered before. So my response--my opinion--is still tentative. Yet, it's a question I think we all need to address.
Who won the election? Actually, the media won the election. That, of course, means that the businesses which fund the media received payback for their investment. It's my opinion that throughout this contest, more than in any other since Roosevelt, the media thoroughly controlled the conversation. Media controls when it is able to structure the social reality. And this session, it was very clear that TV, the web and print very clearly had control of reality. They chose the dramas to emphasize and the players to downplay--or put in focus. But especially, the media selected the conflicts of importance. Their manipulation of these issues enabled them to achieve audience attention, and ultimately, create the realities which the population and the voters responded to.
Factually, the issues were often highly deceptive, irrelevant, and not of significant priority. I always anticipate that, but I was surprised by the amount of ignorance and/or ultimate irrelevance that was front and center in this contest. More than ever, the public seemed swayed by the media. I'm certain that was because of fears about the economy, the future of jobs and the future of our nation. It always takes time for the public to understand when it (they?) have been had. And I'm not certain how long it will take. But eventually a major proportion of the population will get it.
I will be curious, however, to see how effective Obama will become from Clinton's tutoring in triangulating. Republicans in control of the house and democrats in the senate can spell either gridlock, or some genuine activity of significance. I suspect it'll be time for the Republicans to put up or shut up, and for the democrats to figure out whether they've still got some cojones. In spite of the naysaying of the pundits and their commitment to gridlock, the country may not permit gridlock. Too much fear is rampant. One overall notion, however, may well be true about coming political campaigns. The next few elections may swing back and forth drastically. But rather than being helpful, those swings may well be detrimental.
You can laugh, but in the meantime, I'm removing CNN as my home page. I'll try something less conflicted and irrelevant. Perhaps the BBC. Its news is far less sensational. Well, what do you think about who won the election? And what suggestions do you have for my home page?
