Why The John Edwards News Mistake Is Your Fault
Published March 23, 2007
The news media abhors a vacuum and will make mistakes in rushed attempts to fill it. The problem is on both sides of the equation; readers and viewers demand answers to questions that can’t yet be answered, so writers and producers speculate.
The past 24 hours of news about U.S. presidential candidate John Edwards is a perfect example of this trend - frustrating for everybody. Media falsely reported that Edwards would halt his campaign because his wife has cancer.
Prior examples of this trend include the rush to print and report rumors, which later turned out to be false, about murders in stadiums and convention centers, in New Orleans post-Katrina, as well as the reports, which also turned out to be tragically wrong, about the number of people killed in the mine accident in Sago, W. Va.
When you hear that there is going to be a news conference the following day, but that details won’t be released until the time of the news conference, something unhealthy happens: People Want Answers. Well, that in itself is not unhealthy and dangerous so much as it is a function of our curiosity (good), our impatience (bad) and our inability to deal with the fact that sometimes we just can’t know everything (really bad).
Feeling that their thirst for knowledge and information must be immediately sated, some people then turn to the Internet and cable television. To meet this demand, the media then speculates, much of it guesswork and a lot of it just plain wrong.
Old media will later blame the mess on new media but it’s not a problem of the medium so much as it is the people involved - both consumers and providers.
Once you hear about the scheduling of a news conference on an important issue or about an important person – in this case, John Edwards – your best bet is to just turn off your television, or at least stay away from television news stations; because the odds are good that whatever is reported will be wrong. Actually avoiding television news is probably good advice all the time, but especially during these times.
Sure enough, while Googling yesterday I came across a report, quoting an unnamed source (that’s always a red flag), saying that Edwards was going to halt his election campaign in order to stand by his wife in the hour of need, as a doctor has found that she has cancer again. The much-hyped new political website, The Politico, reported at 11:06 a.m. that "John Edwards is suspending his campaign for President, and may drop out completely. . . ''
- Why The John Edwards News Mistake Is Your Fault
- Published: March 23, 2007
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Politics
- Writer: Scott Butki
- Scott Butki's BC Writer page
- Scott Butki's personal site
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Comments on this articleComments
If I were a betting man, I'd bet that she insisted that he continue his campaign. Something about it actually makes me think that she told him "you can't leave the race" before he even had a chance to bring it up...and wouldn't back down. It was just something about her face in the video I saw.
That said....Meh. False report or no false report, I wasn't gonna vote for him anyway.
How can you call Edwards names, he's so absolutely man-pretty. Makes me almost want to abandon Rick Perry...
Dave
That someone who looks like you would critique the appearance of anyone just proves how delusional you are, Nalle/Populi.
"That someone who looks like you would critique the appearance of anyone just proves how delusional you are, Nalle/Populi."
This animal needs to be restrained.
People? Hello?
This clown hides behind a pseudonym and personally attacks members of BlogCritics in the comments on a daily basis, while never adding anything constructive to the discussion, or posting an article of his own, when in fact he is a member of the MSM! And he's been doing it for over three years!!!
Oh, and speaking of personal appearance, here's what Curt "MCH" Synness looks like...
jesus. we have a stalker stalking a stalker because he's a stalker and the original stalker's whole contribution seems to be this: "dave nalle--not a veteran, ugly."
mch, bugger off until you get some original material. rj, stop stalking mch.
oh yeah, and now john edwards is both a "cold-hearted, selfish jerk" and a "faggot." or did she say "fag?" i don't remember. either way, he's not going to be elected. i don't know why he's trying. it's impossible. he seems to be a professional candidate, as he seems to be doing nothing else.
mch, bugger off until you get some original material. rj, stop stalking mch.
Honestly, God Almighty. The other thing the two of you, RJ and MCH, have in common (besides use of initials and cyberstalking behavior) is that both sides of your squabble are really fucking BORING.
I think bloggers have to have even higher standards that mass media because, for better or worse, mass media increasingly rely upon blogs as news sources in this world. Politico-Edwards lesson: Blogs need even higher standards than mass media
I think this is a problem caused by "New Media" The "New Media" doesn't need sources. Blogs print speculation as fact all day. The "Old Media" can't be beat by the "New Media" so they report speculation as well. Is it "Old Media's" fault that their viewers/listeners/readers misinterpret what was reported?
How pathetic...John "Pretty Boy" Edwards will stoop to using his wifes cancer to help him get elected. I guess he saw his rival AL Egore getting all of the attention and couldnt stand it any longer.
JOM
PS Edwards is a faggot!
Michael, if they'd watched the press conference, they'd know she stood right there and INSISTED that he continue the campaign.
OOOO - JOM,
Tough guy talking about faggots and pretty boys.
Sounds like you are an expert to me! You must be a top...
Sound more like he NEEDS a top to me BriMan... Usually the ones using the word faggot are the ones deepest in the closet pathetically trying to convince everyone else they're not.
Wow I already knew that Edwards was an ambulance chasing political hack but he's really sunk to a new low by using his wife's cancer to pander for votes. that kind of depravity is downright Clintonesque. I'm sure that his supporters couldn't be prouder.
well, I was pleased I got comments until I saw that it was more bickering than comments. Yikes.
I'm speechless.
My only issue is that they have young children and a mother that is most likely going to go through major cancer treatment and worse could die within 5 years (that is what the medical community is saying). How can anyone be president, take care of a very sick wife and raise children properly. I think the Edwards have the WRONG priorities. Family and children should always come first.
I agree with you Wileyman...Edwards priorities are definitely WRONG.
If, as you say, the prognosis for Elizabeth Edwards is that there is a good chance she may be dead in five years, one would think that Edwards, if he truly loves her, would rather spend as much time with her as possible rather than spend his time running for president.
It's said so often that we should not pass judgment on the personal lives of politicians. However I believe that what a person does in private is more reflective of their character than the image they work so hard to show us in public. And when an individual asks us for their vote they had better be prepared for us to examine all aspects of their character.
A man whose professional ambitions outweigh his concern for and desire to be with his wife while she is suffering from cancer will not receive my vote.
Arch,
A man whose professional ambitions outweigh his concern for and desire to be with his wife while she is suffering from cancer will not receive my vote.
Would that mean that you wouldn't support Gingrich if he were to run?
Due to all the media attention Edwards recieved from his wifes cancer, other politicians have announced the following medical issues to try and garner the sympathy vote
1. Hillary Clinton - annouced she is suffering from a rare form of "hound dog" face disease
2. Barnet Franks - announced that he is suffering form chroic bleeding hemmaroids and an incurable oral fixation.
3. Obama - he is suffering from Vitiligo and by the time the primaries come around he will be whiter than Michael Jackson
4. Chuck Schumer - Incurable bad hair implants
5. Al Franken - announced to no onse surprise that he has an IQ of 32 caused by no one listening to his radio show
6. John Kerry - Admits that he has alzheimer's . He now blames this on his "I voted for it before I voted against it" fiasco
7. Al Gore - Annouced that his ass is growing die to global warming. He projects that by the year 2011 his ass will be the size of Montana!
JOM
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"What a cold-hearted, selfish jerk,"
I would have thought that anyway - but perhaps I'm just too cynical about politicians. After all, helping the Other America is what Edwards is all about. Obviously, that's far more important than the personal sacrifice of not being able to properly be there for his wife.
On the other hand, even from my typical cynicism about do-gooding demagogues, in fairness you'd have to factor in his wife's wishes. Considering that she's his big strategist and political partner, would she really WANT him right there all the time instead of pursuing their mutual aggrandizement?