Sunday Shows: "This Week"
I realize I never posted last weekend-- midterms ate up too much time. However, I'm back and ready to continue this column. Today I focused on Barbara Walter's version of This Week. Framed largely by an interview with newly elected Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown (the replacement for the late Senator Ted Kennedy). Oddly enough, Senator Brown, who will officially join the Senate next week, seemed rather personable. Adept at non-answers but not so distanced as to appear arrogant, Brown had a successful interview with Walters-- even able to poke fun at himself for his infamous Cosmopolitan photo shoot in the '80's. I was disappointed, however, that Brown gave no clear stance on the possible repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell' while also failing to address the success of Massachusetts's own healthcare policy among his constituents.
What I was must intrigued by during this show was the round table which followed the featured exclusive. Columnists Paul Krugman and Arianna Huffington admonished Fox Chairman and CEO Roger Ailes for Fox News' admittedly biased coverage and contribution to the massive healthcare misinformation campaign of the last 6 months. Krugman and Huffington also pointed out the ridiculous nature of President Obama's proposed spending freeze. In all actuality, the freeze could only affect, at most, one-sixth of the federal budget. Failing also to take the massive steps necessary to fix the 'jobs crisis', President Obama is not fighting hard enough for what he believes our country needs: better financial regulations, more jobs, and healthcare. Huffington made an excellent point when she noted that if President Obama really wants to succeed and make substantial progress, he should return to his own campaign speeches. Last week's State of the Union address did reveal his oratorical skill and reminded the nation of why he was elected in the first place. However, in the political battles to come he will need to spend all of his political capital and exhaust all of the enthusiasm he can muster to remind Americans why they voted Democratic. If for no other reason that Krugman's ingenious remark that what we are really electing these days are parties, not individuals, the Democrats had better pull it together before the Mid-Terms.
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