Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Media smug at Edwards pageant <!--break--> Impressed by John Edwards Not Impressed by the Press commentary Rajesh Barnabas I got in through a back door to see democratic hopeful John Edwards speak Sunday night at the UNITE building on East Ave., Rochester. After seeing the crowd balloon out the building and fill an adjacent screening room, I tried my press pass. Downstairs I ran into a frustrated Fox News reporter who had followed the "Media Entrance" signs straight to the restrooms. “The signs are not helpful at all and,” almost screaming now, “is there anyone here from the campaign to talk to?” He was fair but “unbalanced,” – obviously out of his element or is this state of hypertension a qualifier for our modern media members? The shindig got underway at 7 p.m. but as is normally the case politicians and their traveling media entourage are 45 minutes to an hour late. I was wondering if this is another qualification for the modern politician and press member – be late. Be late in questioning the war in Congress – seems all the democratic politicians are war weary now. And Monday-morning- quarterback press, where were you Sunday when it was time to take shots at the Administration. Emboldened by the polls saying the War is finally unpopular the press plays to numbers. So I found my way up through an outside, back door with the Fox News man and his camera woman. I stayed with them, hoping the press checker would associate me with a big news station rather than some suburban weekly. I still said it proudly though, “Webster Herald…Empire State Weeklies”. I showed him my rudimentary pass and was in. I sat next to a woman reporter from the Sodus Sun-Record. She too had come there just to see John Edwards but when push comes to shove, throw down your press credentials to get a spot. She gave me the scoop on the scoopers. “The guy next to you there is from the New York Post and he is talking to a guy from the D&C. They like to talk to important people like themselves. When they found out that I was from the Sun, they carried on amongst themselves.” Rule number one for being part of the mainstream press is not talking to obscurity. At all times during the entire Edwards gig, the press looked straightforward at the podium. Even before Edwards got there, they were all transfixed on the podium. Being a member of the press is about looking forward not around. Their conversations follow a similar pattern. There is a hierarchy, set up almost parasitically, where the teradactyl only talk to their own. They only network to net work. The higher-ups can’t gain any influence by talking to the lowdown townies. Why talk to a powerless penguin, when you have frequent flyer miles on Jet Blue? There were exceptions. Democrat and Chronicle's tenured reporter Joseph Spector was approachable, the CNN crew was gracious, as was Adam Chodak from Channel10-NBC, who I happened to know already - a friend of my sister's. By and large, the media presence was smug. Their tunnel-vision conversations and unawareness of their surroundings is indicated in the one-dimensional stories they write. I was bumped into not once but twice by a press member vying for some special spot. They don’t just let the story happen. They already have a script and go hunting with cameras, notepads and mini-recorders for actors to fill it. I can’t blame the NY Post guy, Kenneth Lovett, from talking to the blond bombshell from the NBC team, I even wanted to talk to her. I overheard him saying how he started in Watertown, then Albany for eight years, and for the last 14 he’s been at the New York Post. He went on about how since he joined the company, circulation had increased astronomically. I wanted to tell him that his publication would have made William Hearst proud. I wanted to congratulate his team for the story on Comrade Ogilvy during the war. “Hey weren’t you guys awarded for your Excellency in doublespeak?” Yes we are well on our way to that Oceanian utopia Orwell wrote about, thanks to New York Post. The New York Post increases circulation based on the assumption that ignorance is strength. “Here sir a rake to help you with the muck you’ll write later.” No I didn’t say any of that, I just watched him, that was enough to disturb him. Ironically the press really has no patience for being pressed. Edwards takes the stage and all media eyes are on the podium, still. The song is John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Small-town”. The crowd is chanting “ED-WARDS!” The candidates’ arms fly up above his head, thumbs outstretched, like one of those jerky “pull-lever-in-the-back” puppet dolls. Edwards is triumphant before the match even starts. I don’t know if I am watching WWF wrestling or Sunday Morning Gospel. This is a guy who first announced his candidacy on Comedy Central’s The John Stewart Show. How well will he go over with the stodgy Meet the Press outfits? The press is frigid. In all their objectivity, cheering, clapping, nodding or any other physical or vocal response is completely frowned upon by any journalist who calls him/herself a professional. The droids save their quips and zingers for the 2-minute news slot later that night. Almost like girls who talk behind each other’s backs, journalists can get away with doing their damage silently and distantly. They can make their affronts without actually confronting those they are affronting. Kind of like what I am doing right now. As the evangelist from Carolina spoke his sermon from Mt. UNITE, the United Needle Industrial Textile Employees and 400 plus crowd cheered. When it came time to boo one of the big Bad Bush Vodoo Daddy policy, the crowd booed. “Great response,” was Edwards response to their response, or more sardonically, “appropriate response.” There is clapping and outbursts in the crowd, “mumbo jumbo …BUSH!”…Somehow Edwards deciphers what the lady was yelling, “Yes, Yes, I agree.” Just a quarter way through and the crowd is jello. Edwards surveys his followers in his half-plastic-half-genuine way, eyes squinted in that emotional – touchy- Bill Clintonesque I feel your pain and Renee Zellwegger-acceptance speech kind of way. There is a hush now as he begins his final climb to the pinnacle of his performance. “Can you believe what I read the other day. Some of you might have read the same thing…This Administration says outsourcing jobs was good for the economy. That sending jobs overseas was good for us…” There are now even louder boos from the crowd, they are becoming restles, eager for the fresh meat. Edwards tenderizes them, peppering them with some tasteful teasers before the big meal. “You know what we need…what we need is to outsource this administration.” The ballroom goes ballistic. There is a man holding a sign that says, “UNC- Chapell Hill”, on the other side of the room a sign reads “FIRE BUSH” and a third says, “Generic Drugs”. Taken altogether that pretty much captures the Edwards show. There was one moment that he did connect with me. He spoke about how America used to be this beacon of freedom and he held up his right arm as he said, “this Statue of Liberty. Now the world sees America as Bush this bullying man of preemption and unilateralism. Our children and our future will be much safer if we work with other nations and America is looked up to again.” Amen brother, I was shaking my head now feeling a resounding philosophical connection with the man right when he stared at me. I could almost see tears in his eyes as he found me shaking my head in affirmation. I was transfixed. Was he really looking right at me or the two ladies holding up signs near me. The crowd was going nuts, or was I imagining that too. Edwards, with his arms outstretched again, flipping the thumb everywhere and to everyone reminds me of Tom Cruise in Top Gun, specifically the volleyball match with a decaf on the cockiness. The theme of that movie had this external Cold War threat playing in the distant background but the main issue was competitiveness, camaraderie, and family reflection among the American pilots. Meaning, the problems we have as a nation can only going to be solved if we are more socially conscience, resourceful and reflective. Tom Cruise/John Edwards/Maverick is patriotic because he is inventive not retentive like the fear-mongers want us to be. The Edwards campaign had passed around brown bags that announced Tuesday, Feb. 24 as the first official “Bring Your Lunch To Work Day!” : Drive by that drive-thru! Lose the Latte! They were asking supporters to brown bag it and contribute their lunch money to the campaign instead. So there was Edwards and I having a moment. I think he was making sure he was reading me right, that I was really that impressed by his last statement. And he saw that and then I saw that he saw that and yes we had our eye-to-eye make-out. I mean this must be that visual French-kiss that speech makers are trained at. Look around at everyone and then focus on an individual and connect with him/her. I was a victim of the political séance, I was a now a patron of all the pageantry. I was sold, perhaps sold-out, but I am voting for John Edwards on Tuesday. (I ended up voting for Dean- the Edwards aura didn't last very long, what can I say?) As I was walking out, I overheard on reporter say, "this audience sucks." Another one said, "ya there were 15,000 waiting in the parking lot in Minnesota." For the corporate/poll driven press, it's all about money and numbers. No wonder these droids like Kerry so much.

<p>Media smug at Edwards pageant</p> <!--break--><p>Impressed by John Edwards<br /> Not Impressed by the Press</p> <p>commentary Rajesh Barnabas</p> <p>I got in through a back door to see democratic hopeful John Edwards speak Sunday night at the UNITE building on East Ave., Rochester. After seeing the crowd balloon out the building and fill an adjacent screening room, I tried my press pass. Downstairs I ran into a frustrated Fox News reporter who had followed the "Media Entrance" signs straight to the restrooms. “The signs are not helpful at all and,” almost screaming now, “is there anyone here from the campaign to talk to?” He was fair but “unbalanced,” – obviously out of his element or is this state of hypertension a qualifier for our modern media members?</p> <p>The shindig got underway at 7 p.m. but as is normally the case politicians and their traveling media entourage are 45 minutes to an hour late. I was wondering if this is another qualification for the modern politician and press member – be late. Be late in questioning the war in Congress – seems all the democratic politicians are war weary now. And Monday-morning- quarterback press, where were you Sunday when it was time to take shots at the Administration. Emboldened by the polls saying the War is finally unpopular the press plays to numbers.</p> <p>So I found my way up through an outside, back door with the Fox News man and his camera woman. I stayed with them, hoping the press checker would associate me with a big news station rather than some suburban weekly. I still said it proudly though, “Webster Herald…Empire State Weeklies”. I showed him my rudimentary pass and was in. </p> <p>I sat next to a woman reporter from the Sodus Sun-Record. She too had come there just to see John Edwards but when push comes to shove, throw down your press credentials to get a spot. She gave me the scoop on the scoopers. </p> <p>“The guy next to you there is from the New York Post and he is talking to a guy from the D&amp;C. They like to talk to important people like themselves. When they found out that I was from the Sun, they carried on amongst themselves.”</p> <p>Rule number one for being part of the mainstream press is not talking to obscurity. At all times during the entire Edwards gig, the press looked straightforward at the podium. Even before Edwards got there, they were all transfixed on the podium. Being a member of the press is about looking forward not around. Their conversations follow a similar pattern.</p> <p>There is a hierarchy, set up almost parasitically, where the teradactyl only talk to their own. They only network to net work. The higher-ups can’t gain any influence by talking to the lowdown townies. Why talk to a powerless penguin, when you have frequent flyer miles on Jet Blue? There were exceptions. Democrat and Chronicle's tenured reporter Joseph Spector was approachable, the CNN crew was gracious, as was Adam Chodak from Channel10-NBC, who I happened to know already - a friend of my sister's. </p> <p>By and large, the media presence was smug. Their tunnel-vision conversations and unawareness of their surroundings is indicated in the one-dimensional stories they write. I was bumped into not once but twice by a press member vying for some special spot. They don’t just let the story happen. They already have a script and go hunting with cameras, notepads and mini-recorders for actors to fill it.</p> <p>I can’t blame the NY Post guy, Kenneth Lovett, from talking to the blond bombshell from the NBC team, I even wanted to talk to her. I overheard him saying how he started in Watertown, then Albany for eight years, and for the last 14 he’s been at the New York Post. He went on about how since he joined the company, circulation had increased astronomically. </p> <p>I wanted to tell him that his publication would have made William Hearst proud. I wanted to congratulate his team for the story on Comrade Ogilvy during the war. “Hey weren’t you guys awarded for your Excellency in doublespeak?” Yes we are well on our way to that Oceanian utopia Orwell wrote about, thanks to New York Post. </p> <p>The New York Post increases circulation based on the assumption that ignorance is strength. “Here sir a rake to help you with the muck you’ll write later.” No I didn’t say any of that, I just watched him, that was enough to disturb him. Ironically the press really has no patience for being pressed. </p> <p>Edwards takes the stage and all media eyes are on the podium, still. The song is John Cougar Mellencamp’s “Small-town”. The crowd is chanting “ED-WARDS!” The candidates’ arms fly up above his head, thumbs outstretched, like one of those jerky “pull-lever-in-the-back” puppet dolls. Edwards is triumphant before the match even starts. I don’t know if I am watching WWF wrestling or Sunday Morning Gospel. This is a guy who first announced his candidacy on Comedy Central’s The John Stewart Show. How well will he go over with the stodgy Meet the Press outfits? </p> <p>The press is frigid. In all their objectivity, cheering, clapping, nodding or any other physical or vocal response is completely frowned upon by any journalist who calls him/herself a professional. The droids save their quips and zingers for the 2-minute news slot later that night. Almost like girls who talk behind each other’s backs, journalists can get away with doing their damage silently and distantly. They can make their affronts without actually confronting those they are affronting. Kind of like what I am doing right now.<br /> As the evangelist from Carolina spoke his sermon from Mt. UNITE, the United Needle Industrial Textile Employees and 400 plus crowd cheered. When it came time to boo one of the big Bad Bush Vodoo Daddy policy, the crowd booed. “Great response,” was Edwards response to their response, or more sardonically, “appropriate response.” There is clapping and outbursts in the crowd, “mumbo jumbo …BUSH!”…Somehow Edwards deciphers what the lady was yelling, “Yes, Yes, I agree.”</p> <p>Just a quarter way through and the crowd is jello. Edwards surveys his followers in his half-plastic-half-genuine way, eyes squinted in that emotional – touchy- Bill Clintonesque I feel your pain and Renee Zellwegger-acceptance speech kind of way. There is a hush now as he begins his final climb to the pinnacle of his performance.</p> <p>“Can you believe what I read the other day. Some of you might have read the same thing…This Administration says outsourcing jobs was good for the economy. That sending jobs overseas was good for us…”</p> <p> There are now even louder boos from the crowd, they are becoming restles, eager for the fresh meat. Edwards tenderizes them, peppering them with some tasteful teasers before the big meal.</p> <p>“You know what we need…what we need is to outsource this administration.” </p> <p>The ballroom goes ballistic. There is a man holding a sign that says, “UNC- Chapell Hill”, on the other side of the room a sign reads “FIRE BUSH” and a third says, “Generic Drugs”. Taken altogether that pretty much captures the Edwards show. </p> <p>There was one moment that he did connect with me. He spoke about how America used to be this beacon of freedom and he held up his right arm as he said, “this Statue of Liberty. Now the world sees America as Bush this bullying man of preemption and unilateralism. Our children and our future will be much safer if we work with other nations and America is looked up to again.” </p> <p>Amen brother, I was shaking my head now feeling a resounding philosophical connection with the man right when he stared at me. I could almost see tears in his eyes as he found me shaking my head in affirmation. I was transfixed. Was he really looking right at me or the two ladies holding up signs near me.</p> <p>The crowd was going nuts, or was I imagining that too. Edwards, with his arms outstretched again, flipping the thumb everywhere and to everyone reminds me of Tom Cruise in Top Gun, specifically the volleyball match with a decaf on the cockiness. </p> <p>The theme of that movie had this external Cold War threat playing in the distant background but the main issue was competitiveness, camaraderie, and family reflection among the American pilots. Meaning, the problems we have as a nation can only going to be solved if we are more socially conscience, resourceful and reflective. Tom Cruise/John Edwards/Maverick is patriotic because he is inventive not retentive like the fear-mongers want us to be. </p> <p>The Edwards campaign had passed around brown bags that announced Tuesday, Feb. 24 as the first official “Bring Your Lunch To Work Day!” : Drive by that drive-thru! Lose the Latte! They were asking supporters to brown bag it and contribute their lunch money to the campaign instead.</p> <p>So there was Edwards and I having a moment. I think he was making sure he was reading me right, that I was really that impressed by his last statement. And he saw that and then I saw that he saw that and yes we had our eye-to-eye make-out. I mean this must be that visual French-kiss that speech makers are trained at. Look around at everyone and then focus on an individual and connect with him/her. </p> <p>I was a victim of the political séance, I was a now a patron of all the pageantry. I was sold, perhaps sold-out, but I am voting for John Edwards on Tuesday. (I ended up voting for Dean- the Edwards aura didn't last very long, what can I say?)</p> <p>As I was walking out, I overheard on reporter say, "this audience sucks." Another one said, "ya there were 15,000 waiting in the parking lot in Minnesota." For the corporate/poll driven press, it's all about money and numbers. No wonder these droids like Kerry so much.</p>

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/1501

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press http://rochester.indymedia.org/node/1501

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press

Impressed with Edwards, not Impressed with the Press