On the night of the New Hampshire primary, CNN's Wolf Blitzer interviewed Congressman Dennis Kucinich after Kucinich, a candidate of the Left, had received a tiny share of the vote twice-- in Iowa the week prior and now in New Hampshire.
And Wolf Blitzer, who has a journalistic mind not just conventional, but wholly conventional, asked Kucinich to kindly explain why he, Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, was such a loser. I was folding socks, so I did not write down what exactly Blitzer said. And it was not on a regular CNN show, so the transcript has been hard to find. (Help: If you have it, email me please.)
Lacking the text, I have just the effect of Blitzer's question, the gist. Which is arguably the unit TV communicates in. Blitzer was being "tough" with Kucinich on air about the uncomfortable but critical issue of unexplained loserhood. You have to go back in years to your own high school and try to hear Wolf saying what he essentially did say to the candidate that night: why do so few people like you, loser?
Then Kucinich gets handed the mike. How would you answer in the thirty seconds provided? Explain your own ineptitude for our audience, please.
But then, "why are you such a loser, Dennis?" is asked not for the benefit of the viewing audience. It is not for voters' ears, either. Blitzer asks it for reasons wholly internal to his profession, and the only interest served, I think, is the journalist's. Everyone else loses, especially Kucinich, whose minute of public humiliation may not be Wolf Blitzer's aim, but is the certain effect.
When the press looks for its credibility problems today, it ought to look more at moments like these. To me, it's in-credible, Blitzer's question. The public serice validity I assign it is zero. I think most of the audience, most of the time, senses the bad faith in it, whether we "like" Kucinich or not. In a catalogue of low points for the campaign press (which, done well, is an idea for a kick-ass weblog... ) this was one.
Article comments
1 - randy
Very well written piece, Jay, and I agree with you. The behaviour of your media (I'm Canadian) during an election is appalling (well, when isn't it?). Kucinich may not win the nomination, but because of his convictions, he stepped out and took a chance, wanting his voice to be heard. Dennis Miller, on his new show this week, also painted Kucinich as a loser. It's a sad state of affairs, and I expect more from Miller. Kucinich is not a loser.
Two years ago, a colleague of mine ran in our provincial election. She had zero chance of winning, but was frustrated with how we were being governed, and decided to run. I respected her for it, in the same way I respect Kucinich and the others who are in contention for the nomination.
2 - Eric Olsen
Classic Jay, classic: both high-larious and perceptive. As much as I dislike Kucinich's policies and general smurfyness, he DOES deserve respect for doing his thing, plugging away, gaining a fair amount of high profile endorsements, sticking to his rather radical agenda, etc. I hate public cruelty, especially when it is gratuitous like here and serves no purpose but to reaffirm the power of the media person to force others to confrom to their will.
Excellent, thanks!