Mainstream media's (MSM's) manufactured Presidential campaign, spun by corporate punditz, has been a frustrating slog for John Edwards' supporters. Not because Edwards, himself, is disappointing. Quite the contrary. Edwards' supporters across the nation remain steadfastly loyal to their candidate, and to his unwavering commitment to a pro-PEOPLE/non-CORPORATE America.
It's the corporate media that's the problem. It's the fact that John Edwards is the target of agenda journalism which undermines his popularity and the extent to which his message resonates nationwide.
There are two rationales for MSM's strategy to weaken John Edwards:
One: John Edwards is the avowed enemy of greed-ridden corporations, and promises to end corporate dominance over the livesof Americans.
Two: Edwards doesn't cast well in corporate media's electoral theatre. He's unsuitable for their pre-penned Presidential drama, staged in three acts, and performed this past year, this nextyear, and for years to come in a politically contrived cable & network run.
The theatrical elements of MSM's NON Edwards Presidential "drama" are culturally compelling:
Act One features America's "first ever" minority on minority Presidential primary smack-down. The protagonists - "first ever" viable white female contender, Hillary Clinton, and"first ever" viable black male contender, Barack Obama, duke it out from Iowa to New Hampshire to South Carolina and beyond - until the bruised and battered, albeit historic loser, eventually concedes.
Regardless of which "first ever" prevails in Act One of the Clinton/Obama drama, it's a win-win for corporate media. This is rarefied original theatre, with NO casting opportunity for John Edwards, whose traditional white male candidacy usurps the originality of the best socio-political drama to come along in years.
The instant the "first ever" victor becomes the Democrat's nominee, MSM's Second Act spins into play:
Act Two features the historic matchup of the new "first ever" nominee against the conventional white male nominee of the Republican Party. This plot line serves MSM's selfish corporate interests much more than the conventional white male versus white male plot a John Edwards candidacy would bring.
With the potential so high for extraordinary drama, mainstream media naturally can't allow John Edwards to win.
Despite how strongly Edwards polls against every Republican running, corporate media suppresses the reality of his success. When corporations control the message, they control the campaign. Thankfully Iowa and New Hampshire offer voters an interpersonal experience with the candidates as an alternative to media's concocted view.
In the same way corporate media concocts pop dramas for Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, corporate media concocts political dramas, too. Politics, after all, is infotainment. TMZ equals CNN. Harvey Levin equals Paul Bagala. Ratings trump the national interest, and theatrics trump the truth.
Act Three - the one mainstream media most ambitiously pursues - has been hyped continuously by punditz for the entire past year. For corporate punditz, no political drama could be better than four or eight years starring President Hillary Clinton.
From Big Media's perspective, it doesn't get any better than this.
Mrs. Clinton, one-half of America's most prominent corporate union, is aligned with possibly every corporation in the world through husband Bill's "Clinton Global Initiative" (CGI). Even Rupert Murdoch, Fox's dear leader, is a CGI donor, and a Hillary donor, as well! www.ClintonGlobalInitiative.org
No surprise there!!!
For the beleaguered American people, who have been robbed by corporations for decades, a Hillary Clinton presidency does not "play" very well. The Clintons, who were deemed the Arkansas Hillbillies when they first went to DC, are now the corporate darlings of the Washington elite. It would not benefit America to grant them another Act.
But the scenario that would benefit America is eight years of mature, honest, humane, transparent, insightful, PRESIDENT FOR THE PEOPLE John Edwards.
Were it not for MSM's pre-scripted story line that has punditz pumping Obama & Clinton, those very same punditz would be noting the popularity of John Edwards, and the timeliness and power of his words. They would be discussing Edwards' gravitas and steadfastness, and how he's unflappable in debates and doesn't waver from his message.
Were it not for MSM's pre-scripted story, media punditz would be informing the public of how Edwards doesn't pander, but responds candidly to questions, and admits when he needs to learn more. They would proffer that Edwards would be the President who could resurrect a democracy in decline and right the wrongs of the Presidents he followed.
Those very same punditz would be informing viewers that John Edwards would break the chain of corporate cronyism that has dominated this nation for four consecutive Presidents - from Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush.
And were it not for MSM's pre-scripted story, media punditz would speak of the thoughtfulness of Edwards' policies, and his ability to withstand unspeakable loss and rise back up from it. And they would tell of the way he achieved the American dream, but has never forgotten or forsaken his roots.
If the punditz would tell these truths, they would no longer be referred to as punditz!
A note to mainstream media:
How about dropping the curtain on the Clinton-Obama drama, and setting the stage for John Edwards? THE PEOPLE are done with your theatre of the absurd. If your punditz must do theatre, then make them do it legit!!
Pencils UP for John Edwards!
Author's Note: In writers' jargon, "pencils down" means: STOP WRITING! or DON'T WRITE! "Pencils up" means: WRITE AWAY!
Linda Milazzo was a Managing Editor of Opednews until Fall 2014, and a Los Angeles based writer, educator and activist. Since 1974, she has divided her time between the entertainment industry, government organizations, community development (more...)