CJR (Columbia Journalism Review) has a solid piece today on this whole Clinton-Obama-Martin Luther King thing that’s been going on since last Monday (January 7). It’s subtitled “How the press fanned the Dems’ ‘racial tension’.”
The whole affair, more than anything else, is incredibly sad. The two leading candidates of the party that, right now, seems to have the momentum going into the national election will, whoever wins the nomination, make history. We should be thrilled. We should be proud. But the past week’s “racial overtones” coverage reminds us that, however much our political universe has progressed, our media universe is still often one of ‘(sound) bite first, ask questions later.’