Political Circus

   This week CNN’s Anderson Cooper was joined by other political pundits who agreed Hillary Clinton should be more assertive in her presidential campaign and more accessible to the media.  Given Donald Trump’s indefatigable ability to single-handedly occupy the 24-hour news cycle with his histrionics, journalistic broadcast directors likely feel nervous about the “equal time” rule and an appearance of favoritism toward one candidate or another.

     I disagree.

   The television news media always has attracted audiences with bold headlines and stories that capture the attention of the part of human nature that cannot look away from a house fire.  Our innate fascination with disaster allows us to count ourselves fortunate to cling to life, limb and property.  So, when a political candidate does not look like a car wreck, isn’t that a good thing?

   In this writer’s opinion, Secretary Clinton’s tone and media accessibility have been pitch perfect for this situation.  While talking with a colleague on Wednesday, I said, “if I were her I would stand by and let The Donald slam his own foot in the door and then simply point at him.”

   Clinton did just that.  On a June 2^nd campaign stop in San Diego, California, she gave one of her best campaign speeches to date.  Using quotes from the presumptive GOP presidential nominee as evidence, Clinton made the case that Trump is “temperamentally unfit” to be president.

   “It is not hard to imagine Donald Trump leading us to war just because someone got under his very thin skin,” said Clinton.  She called Trump’s political plans “dangerously incoherent” and stated “This is not someone who should ever have the nuclear codes.”

   Try as they may, not even Trump’s advisors can control his message.  His fellow Republicans warn of the devastation a Trump presidency would have on our economy, (party) unity, diplomatic relations, religious freedom, and Constitutional rule.  Unabashed, Trump’s most fanatical supporters chant “Build The Wall! Build The Wall!” with all the charm of pitchfork-bearing movie extras, and defiantly cling to the hope that if their hero can simply lock out foreign invaders order and safety will be restored in a terrifying world.

   If news-hour political reports seem to be one-sided, the problem does not lie in any candidate's lack of accessibility to reporters.  The problem is in the definition of “news worthiness.”

   For conservative, moderate and liberal media outlets alike, Trump’s incendiary language is like a smoldering cigarette burning into the fabric of a comfortable, American-made armchair.  While Trump fans the flames of anger, fear and hysteria with one scathing, insult-laced speech after another, the media reports with a mix of dread and excitement when protesters’ tempers’ ignite another riot. The metaphorical smoldering cushions caught fire and sparked the curtains in America’s dream home.  It is breaking news.  So, we watch, unable to look away.

   The media has the power to adjust the message.  Currently selling tickets to a circus of their own making, reporting agencies can offer the public something they have not provided for years: Unbiased information.  Report on Trump without extrapolation.  Give equal time to Clinton, Sanders, and third-party candidates.  Allow reports on public protests to become a sidebar rather than play-by-play sports reports.  Stop being the ringmasters at a show that prides itself on displaying performances by scary clowns who work for free.

   This writer urges the news media to put the wild animals back into their cages and restore sanity to the political discussion.