It is my morning habit to watch CNBC as I get ready to face the world. CNBC is a financial news network, focused largely on the markets — and the economy as it impacts the markets. Needless to say everybody there has been pretty happy, with the Dow being over 12,000. Now, they do also cover politics and world events, but again mostly as it impacts the markets.
As almost all of you are aware, there is a major American election coming up. And the Republican party (which controls both the White House and both houses of Congress) is widely expected to lose some of the Congressional seats it holds.
Now, I didn’t pay it much mind last week when Maria Bartiromo had an exclusive interview with the President of the United States, George W. Bush. He is, after all, the President. This was not a 5 minute interview, but rather a lengthy sit-down in the White House. They played clips of this thing all day to drum up ratings for the whole thing being played in the evening. Mr. Bush has appeared previously on CNBC, most notably on the Larry Kudlow show. For the record, I liked Kudlow a lot better before his current bout of Kool-Aid poisoning.
Today, however, it was announced that there would be an exclusive interview with the Vice President, Dick Cheney. Again, not the first time he’s been on.
But doesn’t anybody else think it’s a little bit slanted to have the two most visible members of the dominant party on CNBC within a few weeks of a major election without having equally significant members of the other party on as well? Where is the interview with Howard Dean? Nancy Pelosi? Harry Reid? Couldn’t they even get Eliot Spitzer or Barack Obama?
When elected officials from only one political party has an unusual level of access to the media, no good can possibly come of it. And yes, I would say this if the slant were the other direction. In order to make informed decisions about issues, it is necessary to consider all positions, even if we immediately choose to dismiss one or more of them. The only possible explanation is that these interviews are politically motivated, and they must be watched with that in mind. In the meantime, maybe Maria can talk to some people on the other side of the aisle.
Sheesh.
In closing, only 1 out of 4 Americans beleives their vote will be counted right; most Americans like their activist judges, thank you; not time to be afraid yet, but be cautious; hundred million year old bee; global warming gasses on the rise again, and Al Gore is on the case, but most Americans don’t remember the environment in the polling booth; a sad milestone; okay, one more election related item; and the temporary homeless.