Column: Bring On The Media Circus

This story was written by Cass Green, Daily Mississippian

Its another week filled with the hustle and bustle of work, school or both. Another week of rain and sunshine. Another week filled with the fears of gas prices. And yes, another week of the McCain and Obama circus.

We have had one hell of a September, and we are only in the middle of it. Destructive hurricanes Ike and Gustav have again attempted to rip the life from our beautiful coasts. Californians are grieving from Fridays tragic train wreck that killed at least 25 people and left 135 injured. The number of West Nile infections within our country is steadily on the rise. It hit close to home for me with a close relative contracting the virus here in Oxford. Last, but not least, our nation was painfully reminded of the 9/11 attacks Thursday with the Pentagon Memorial dedication to the victims of the attacks.

When I scanned the channels last week while sick in bed, did I hear about the upward trend of the West Nile virus? No.

Though I did learn of the new Sarah Palin action figure dolls, and KFC is moving its handwritten secret recipe from the vaults of its unknown location to the vaults of another undisclosed location by means of guards and an unmarked armored vehicle.

All week long I flipped from one news station to the next, looking for an in-depth piece on Obamas energy solutions or McCains plans for the economy. Sadly, my mission was a failure: The only news apparently worthy of CNN, FOX or MSNBC was the whole lipstick smear. Was this really worth being the lead story of top news affiliates, considering the major trials our country was facing last week? I think not.

The media blamed Obama for being distasteful, Obama blamed McCains camp for blowing it out of proportion and I blame the media for getting too much enjoyment out of their nonsense reporting.

And if the media was not already the driving force behind this years political circus, they have secured their spot as leader this week. Continuing the lipstick on a pig ranting, they have also found it imperative that the public knows where Sarah Palins red stilettos and her designer glasses can be purchased. For someone planning to dress as Mrs. Palin for Halloween this year, this bit of information was actually pertinent. Otherwise, not so much.

The SNL skit of Palin and Clinton has been broadcasted every 30 minutes since airing on NBC. The blah-blah-blah concerning the dirty campaign ads is quite redundant but typical of a media political circus. McCain insinuates Obama is a pervert seeking to corrupt children; Obama tells us that McCain is unqualified because he cannot use a computer keyboard. Whatever the tactics of our candidates, the media is driving me mad with the nonsense they continue to spin over and over about these ads. I know more about the messy past of Obama, McCain and Palin (for some reason poor Biden is getting left out) than I do about my own parents pasts.

What do these candidates actually believe and want for America?

I cant speak for all of Americans, but I fear many of us have become apathetic and disinterested in the current election, and justly so.

Much to my surprise, a small glimmer of hope was given by MSNBC with the decision to bump Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann as hosts of its political night coverage. Biased reporting is all of a sudden frowned upon in our country. Shocking.

As the media continues to trample its integrity and is found guilty of daily sensationalism, I feel as though I am a citizen watching the news in V For Vendetta.

Maybe there is good news after all: this is still far better than listening to the latest happenings of Ms. Spears.

Congrats, Big Media, for finding something more worthy t cover than your beloved Britney.