Anyone remember CJ in the early seasons of The West Wing? Spent most of her time arguing what should and shouldn't come out of the Prez's mouth?
Her job is true to life in that it's a natural outcome of a politician's main job being to get (re)elected, and that "a politician saying something misconstruable" is right up there on a reporter's priority list between "violent crime in suburbia" and "celebrity sexual deviances."
Add in the 24hr news cycle being ramped up since that show aired and the social media rumor mill kicking in, and the filter has only gotten thicker with time.
That's why you're hearing the same bland shit coming out of every career politician's mouth. Tailor to the party (and district), and it's all been so sanitized it might as well have an AMA recommendation sticker.
Then you get politicians who either weren't political animals to start with (Carson, Fiorina, Trump) or who just gave their last remaining fucks (Sanders). These fuckers are operating with no CJ. Any idea that flies out of their mouth, no matter how poorly worded or ripe for misconstruing, is aimed and fired. Unfiltered and unsanitized.
It's no wonder we're focusing on these folks. They're the only ones that could do anything. Everyone else is the same droning on, blah blah blah. Fucks not given, decisions made already.
Of course, it also means that in the desperation for something new, the risk of voting for someone on the strength of an idea they pulled from their ass at that exact moment with no clue of feasibility or consequences is there, but unintended consequences are all part of the game.
Her job is true to life in that it's a natural outcome of a politician's main job being to get (re)elected, and that "a politician saying something misconstruable" is right up there on a reporter's priority list between "violent crime in suburbia" and "celebrity sexual deviances."
Add in the 24hr news cycle being ramped up since that show aired and the social media rumor mill kicking in, and the filter has only gotten thicker with time.
That's why you're hearing the same bland shit coming out of every career politician's mouth. Tailor to the party (and district), and it's all been so sanitized it might as well have an AMA recommendation sticker.
Then you get politicians who either weren't political animals to start with (Carson, Fiorina, Trump) or who just gave their last remaining fucks (Sanders). These fuckers are operating with no CJ. Any idea that flies out of their mouth, no matter how poorly worded or ripe for misconstruing, is aimed and fired. Unfiltered and unsanitized.
It's no wonder we're focusing on these folks. They're the only ones that could do anything. Everyone else is the same droning on, blah blah blah. Fucks not given, decisions made already.
Of course, it also means that in the desperation for something new, the risk of voting for someone on the strength of an idea they pulled from their ass at that exact moment with no clue of feasibility or consequences is there, but unintended consequences are all part of the game.
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