What a shame.
The days of news being reported neutrally, accurately, and fairly are gone. I am so uninspired by tuning into the news networks and President Barack Obama’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor is a clarifying example.
What a great news cycle this could be! Oh, how many great stories could be told. Our constitution endures. An underprivileged American girl has achieved beyond most and may soon be part of the highest court in the land. Our nation has diversity at the top, as our first ever African-American President has nominated a Latina to serve as a Supreme Court Justice.
From the first moment after receiving my text from CNN that Ms. Sotomayor would be the choice, their news–both online and on television–told the great American story but also focused on the political fight to follow. Fox News, the staple for so many Evangelical Christians and Conservatives, told the story in a markedly different way. Watching CNN, this felt like a no-brainer nomination. Watching Fox News, it felt like Ms. Sotomayor may win the political fight but that she probably isn’t the finest choice in the land. MSNBC was off the charts in their cheers for her and the political ease with which the nomination will progress. It was all almost an exact reversal of their reporting when Mr. Roberts and Mr. Alito were nominated. That’s not news. That’s politics.
It’s one thing for the networks to have a bit of a slant. But the chasm has grown so wide that it takes away from the real story.
I hope the Senate confirmation process raises up the law rather than bringing down the dialogue. I hope there are great questions asked and answered regarding the role and the rule of law. Perhaps the liberal majority in Congress will give conservatives the opportunity to lead a change in the tone and tenor of the debate.
I think CNN has got it the closest to the mark. I think Fox needs to be a bit more fair and balanced. And this is a great time to start.
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