This is the most important journal entry in the history of mankind

[dougo]

The LA Times has an article about the history of "this is the most important election" rhetoric:

"Every election, we always say this is the most important election ever. But this year we really mean it," a Sierra Club spokesman told USA Today four years ago, when George W. Bush and Al Gore squared off.

So, how does the Sierra Club feel about the 2004 contest? This time, they super-duper really mean it. "The problem with crying wolf is sometimes there really is a wolf," says Executive Director Carl Pope. "This time, there's a wolf."

Thanks to Wonkette.com for the link. And at the risk of this becoming an all-Wonkette-all-the-time journal, I noticed that AMC made yet another TV appearance this weekend, on CNN's media criticism show "Reliable Sources". I guess this means she's officially joined the ranks of the TV punditry class.

Comments

[jfb.livejournal.com]

How about "This is the most important election ever, now that we bungled the last one."

A clear threat

[mshonle.livejournal.com]

For me, this election will show if democracy in America works or not. It will show me if people believe in the constitution and if they can see beyond themselves to vote out of office someone who doesn't believe in the constitution.

I think this one Krugman editorial could explain why democracy might be failing. If the election comes down to "personality" like it did last time it will be a Baudrillardian passing of a time where once elections were real.

NPR's on the media had a good piece about how the media said the DNC was "not real" and "all staged"; yet when they reported it, instead of talking about the messages in the speeches, they just talked about trivia.

It's quite clear to me that media consolidation is at fault, and it's time to break up Murdock's empire into smaller companies (as well as the other giants). The system only works if we have the checks and ballances in place; and if you own TV-, cable-, radio-stations on top of owning a major newspaper, well, someone getting their news will only see one side.

Re: A clear threat

[dougo.livejournal.com]

If the election comes down to "personality"

How will we know if it does or not? I don't think they ask that on exit polls (but maybe they should).

It's quite clear to me that media consolidation is at fault

Me too. Three guesses which candidate is the only one saying this...

Re: A clear threat

[mshonle.livejournal.com]

It's true. Nader touches the third rails, too. He's also the only one talking about Israel in a tone that isn't complete and total praise. Unfortunately, the set of candidates that talk about media consolidation intersected with the set of candidates that have a mathematical chance of getting elected is the empty set. (But, honestly, Kerry is pretty darn good; better than Gore was.)

The protest vote for voting for Nader has already been done in 2000. And given that you don't even get to strengthen the green party with such a vote, it just makes less and less sense to vote Nader.

Re: A clear threat

[dougo.livejournal.com]

But even if you don't vote for him (are you really worried about California?) aren't you glad that he's there talking about it?

Re: A clear threat

[mshonle.livejournal.com]

Kucinich and Sharpton were saying plenty for me. But he's got to be out of his mind to try to be competitive in the swing states. That's just a bad strategy, unless there's some overwhelming reason why another four years of Bush is going to be better for the world.

I'm hoping at least other third party candidates, like the socialists in Florida, realize running again might actually be counter to their values. (The socialists in Florida, who had no mathematical chance of winning, could be said to have thrown the election to Bush just as much as Nader did.)

[lara7.livejournal.com]

>I guess this means she's officially joined the ranks of the TV >punditry class.

to me, she'll always be a Cal Grad student with a nose ring and the air of pretention common to all liberal arts grad students.

Let us know if Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity ever has her on...