In a recent piece promoting the idea that conservatives should support a McCain-Bush ticket, Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer wrote that while 'Bush is the more reliably conservative candidate'the political objective for conservatism is to put an end to Clintonism. That can only be done with victory,' which victory would be achieved with McCain at the top. Should conservatives follow Mr. Krauthammer's advice? Let us explore our options. And let me begin by suggesting that if you're a conservative considering voting for Sen. John McCain, you're a fool. No, it's not what I believe. But it IS what McCain and... continue reading
If you're a conservative considering voting for Sen. John McCain, you're a fool. At least that's what McCain and his political hit squad think. Bill Clinton conducted perhaps the greatest smokescreen presidential campaign in recent history in '92. It seems McCain has obviously studied it well; in both word and tone he is running just as disingenuous an effort. Perception being the reality of politics, like Clinton before him McCain is having a dandy time fooling a whole lot of people into believing a whole lot of things about him that simply are not true. Clinton understood that the Beast... continue reading
Journalists love the crack "When your mother says she loves you, check it out." But reporters don't really want to place withering scrutiny on their mothers, and they're not applying it to their good buddy John McCain. In their crabby looks back at George W. Bush's win in South Carolina, the press saw only one factually-challenged, hyper-negative candidate. Newsweek declared Bush "had been forced to run to the far right and deep in mud." Time said Bush's "slashing tactics" were "ferocious even by South Carolina's down-and-dirty standards." But McCain's campaign has launched a plethora of factually sloppy attacks on his... continue reading
On a normal day, all the broadcast networks combined won't offer as much worthwhile fare as does, say, cable's History Channel. Then again, though their standards have markedly declined, there's nothing on broadcast television that stoops quite so low as what can be found on cable. Even more damning for cable, some of its most vile programming is aimed deliberately at children. Two such programs are "The Tom Green Show" and "Celebrity Deathmatch," which can be found on MTV, the so-called music network generally avoided by adults but a mecca for pubescent youngsters. I suppose that children have excuses for... continue reading
One of the ways the media continue to devaluate their currency with the public is by constantly debasing society's pillars, of which a persistent favorite is the clergy. The Kansas City Star recently took a sledgehammer to the Catholic Church. "Hundreds of Roman Catholic priests across the United States have died of AIDS-related illnesses," thundered the investigative report, "and hundreds more are living with HIV, the virus that causes the disease." Devastating stuff, that. But could the Star prove it? Star reporter Judy L. Thomas claimed that through death certificates and interviews with priests and family members, she had "found... continue reading
It appears there's no stopping the "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" juggernaut. The four "Millionaire" telecasts during the week of January 31 finished in spots one through four in that week's Nielsens. Those who predicted the ABC game show would run out of steam after its blockbuster summer and fall runs now have plenty of egg on their faces. In all the publicity over "Millionaire," what reason for its success is almost always overlooked? Quite simply, the entire family can watch it. Its combination of mental stimulation and wholesomeness has proven irresistible to viewers of all ages. Given the... continue reading
What's the quickest way for a candidate to make a national reporter squirm? Bring up religion. George W. Bush's decision in a December debate to name Jesus Christ as the philosopher with the most impact on him gave reporters the willies. NBC's Tim Russert is a devout Roman Catholic who has spoken publicly and profoundly about his faith. Yet when the Republican candidates met again in January, he felt it necessary to question repeatedly if Bush's faith in Jesus somehow translated into Christian theocracy: "I think people watching, some want to hear your God is Jesus Christ, they don't have... continue reading
Last August, the national media pounced on George W. Bush over swirling rumors that he used cocaine in his youth. Reporters echoed The Washington Post, which urgently suggested to Bush "We need to ask the cocaine question." Even though the Post and others searched far and wide for any hint of evidence, no witness, no accuser stepped forward. But when Newsweek magazine (the Post's corporate cousin) spiked an excerpt from its own reporter Bill Turque's biography of Gore dealing with Gore's use of marijuana, a witness did speak out. More damning still, John Warnecke was a friend of Gore's for... continue reading
Once upon a time you had to be not just respectable but downright admirable to be a paid endorser of a commercial product. By attaching itself to a positive role model the advertiser enhanced its image to the public. It speaks volumes about the decrepit state of our popular culture that this rule of thumb has now been turned upside down. Our advertisers are willfully seeking out some of society's greatest degenerates to serve as their spokesmen. Apparently this is what the public wants. A few years ago a national survey asked young teens to name their role models. Not... continue reading
You can tell presidential contenders Steve Forbes and Alan Keyes have gotten a big bounce from their strong showings in the Iowa caucuses. Overnight, reporters went from ignoring them as ego-tripping non-factors to portraying them as the extremist right-wing factors that will ruin George W. Bush's chances with reasonable voters in November. Can you imagine the internal fury of these two candidates at the media? They hammer away at the issues with substance and passion, day after day, ignoring the who-cares approach of the media mass. Their tireless public speaking and political organizing created surprising results in the Iowa caucuses... continue reading