Oh, Canada: Trying to explain U.S. politics. Not that Americans have to explain what’s happening, just why and how it’s possible. “…Canadians are taking unusual care, even by their standards, to try to phrase their questions delicately. ‘You couldn’t possibly…’ they begin, only to break off. ‘Are you not aware of what…’ ‘Surely you realize how…’ But they can think of no polite way of asking if we are such freaking idiots we haven’t noticed the damage that has been done by the Bush administration to the American reputation all over the world.”
Michael Boyle's weblog
aj says
Ivins nails it, but what she leaves unsaid is that there really isn’t any US news source to purely inform or allow people to form their own opinions. Even PBS has pretty much been bought out by far-right groups who buy time on local affiliates to put their own “fair and balanced” shows on the air.
There is C-SPAN, which rocks, but it requires an attention span and some idea of who the players are. They do show Democracy Now! in some areas on CSPAN but it alienates as many people with its granola, non-TV sensibility as it attracts.
It would be cool if Al Gore’s Newsworld International would get loads of local affiliates and get the Air America people to contribute some content — purely as a counterbalance — but more than ever I’m glad we have the CBC!
Michael says
Yeah – I can’t believe that PBS still takes David Brooks seriously, for instance, as he repeats his unverifiable generalizations and RNC talking points as if by rote. And that’s the BEST – no one else comes close to Lehrer.
aj says
Well, NOW with Bill Moyers is quite good, and fairly snappy for a program of its genre – well worth watching.
Anyone notice a rather stridently right-wing, pro-Conservative tone in the Gazette’s op-ed lately, by the way? I really ought to cancel my subscription.