The Media Grows Their Fatted Cash Cow More Bigly
Last week, I wrote on Medium that a Trump White House is exactly what the media wanted because it would be the gift that kept on giving — to their coffers. [Original piece: https://medium.com/@deborahdiclementi/why-45-is-the-now-martyred-medias-fault-3dc6a7f74926#.o4xoedf19]
Is this why they have refused to jump on the story of how much money being in the White House is making Donald Trump; is it hypocrisy since he is filling their pockets, too?
Worse, is it also why a former Secretary of State, privy to unlimited classified information, under the then-current administration, could repeatedly declare that she was running against Putin’s puppet, a real life Manchurian Candidate, without the media chasing down the story?
You would expect a Secretary of State asserting that the Russians were backing a presidential candidate — unless it was a presidential candidate in Russia and unless the Secretary of State in question was, you know, Hillary Clinton — to have sent DC journalists scattering in the direction of their nearest sources, chilled vodka in their messenger bags.
You would expect that unless, like a baby on its back in a crib, your “journalists” are distracted by bright, shiny, empty things… like #45.
The media knows a story when they see one. A socially reserved, politically cautious, intellectually-inclined, policy-wonk-first-woman-president is a story.
A roller-coaster presidency led by a truth-impaired, media-hating, camera-loving, self-aggrandizing, reality show, carnival barker with the IQ of a peach pit and the stability of rats in a meth house is a STORY.
And… the numbers are in!
Triumphant television news executives, Machiavelli’s original disciples— who probably could have taught him a thing or two — are rubbing their hands and licking their chops.
They got it! The media got the fat Trump Bump in their ratings, just as they knew they would.
CNN experienced a 70% increase over last February, Fox 31%. But the big winner is MSNBC, which is up 99% over last year!
Then there is the ratings bonanza of Rachel Maddow.
The MSNBC lynchpin, had the sixth highest rated show on television last Thursday and overall, her ratings are growing three times faster than Fox News’.
I greatly appreciate what Maddow does — assimilate news cohesively rather than break stories — particularly her clarity, intellect, and humor. Her lesbian man-crush on Bernie Sanders was short-sighted and lasted far too long. But at least she got in the boat and rowed when the time came and schooled recalcitrant Leftists on why it was imperative that they row, too.
This week, however, in a show lauded by many, mostly in the media, Maddow exclaimed in her earnest way that it is now up to the press to take down Trump.
Whose responsibility did she think it was — did any journalist think it was? It has always been their job, and their job to state when an investigation came to nothing, i. e. emails.
And had the media been doing their job it would be a calm policy wonk White House and the West Wing of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue would not be the new circus in town.
But with those numbers — that are clearly translating to websites, magazines, newspapers and other cable and network news stations, as well — do they really want to get rid of #45?
The media’s post-Joint Session Speech love fest sure didn’t bode well.
With the help of a teleprompter, and probably medication, #45, managed to read a bland script written for him and media fan-girls and boys on both sides of the aisle drooled.
For them, ninety subdued minutes, in which he offered some horrifying ideas by the way, erased the dangerous, crazy things he had been doing and tweeting.
They all yearned, at least it seemed, to make him a little less crazy for a while. You could feel it as they tossed around that word, presidential, as if staying on script without sputtering vitriol and nonsense made one presidential.
Hope comes, though, and in the natural order of the media.
There is an old saw never more true than today, whether we are talking about people, music, food or politics.
That which the press builds up, they take special pleasure in tearing down.
D.C. teems with chances to be the new Woodward and Bernstein and the awkward truth is no one reveres fame more than the media itself. Just look at all of high-profile desk-sitters on television now!
Trump’s dismantling will likely drag, however. Those numbers are just too juicy.
The media doesn’t want “boring,” steady Obama magically reinstalled and they sure don’t want to see their numbers take a nose dive with that human Xanax, Pence.
In the meantime, the money will roll in because the media threw us in the pot, gambled, and won.
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