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Historic NY

(37,453 posts)
Thu Nov 5, 2015, 03:55 PM Nov 2015

Hillary Clinton’s primary lead has become so large, the media doesn’t know what to do with itself

Hillary Clinton’s lead in the democratic primary was always at least twenty points on average in national polling, even as you were reading headlines about her supposedly being in “trouble” or that rival Bernie Sanders had all the “momentum” or that he was somehow the de facto “frontrunner” over her. But now that Clinton has cleared several key hurdles, her lead is swelling to historically large proportions – leaving the media beside itself.

There is no reason to suggest that most news outlets have any specific bias against Hillary Clinton or any other candidate. But for the sake of ratings and interest, they’ve needed to find a storyline in the democratic primary. The trouble: there isn’t one. She’s obviously going to win. Her only notable rival Bernie Sanders is running a campaign of ideas which was never really intended to make him a contender, but rather to build momentum for his legislative agenda once he inevitably heads back to the Senate. The other three democrats running against her are so irrelevant that two of them have already dropped out. There simply are no competivive storylines, so the media has had to invent a few.

That’s why we saw months of headlines about faux-scandals like “email” and “Benghazi” which the media would have quickly dismissed as partisan nonsense if not for its desperate need to find a democratic primary storyline. Same things goes for the phantom Joe Biden candidacy, which was never going to happen despite a summer of headlines. But with Hillary having aced her Begnazi testimony, with Biden having begged off as was inevitable, and with Sanders having graciously put the email nonsense to bed, her already-dominant lead is exploding. NBC and the Wall Street Journal say she’s now leading by 31 points nationally. Even the conservative Fox News says she’s up by 25 points.

And that’s left the media going down stranger roads than ever to try to find a storyline. The latest: even as Hillary and Bernie continue to point out their differences on some issues while both carefully trying to avoid any personal attacks, various major news outlets are now taking each of their words out of context to try to invent a food fight between them which simply isn’t there. Who knows what they’ll come up with next. But with primary voting not until next year and no real competition left in this blowout of a primary, they’ll have to come up with something to write about.



http://www.dailynewsbin.com/opinion/hillary-clintons-primary-lead-has-become-so-large-the-media-doesnt-know-what-to-do-with-itself/22966/

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Cha

(297,705 posts)
1. That’s why we saw months of headlines about faux-scandals like “email” and “Benghazi” Tell that to
Thu Nov 5, 2015, 03:59 PM
Nov 2015

Bernie.

Great article, HNY! Thank you.

riversedge

(70,307 posts)
2. Oh, the msm will find something to
Thu Nov 5, 2015, 04:05 PM
Nov 2015

entertain themselves with--to the detriment of HRC. They just can not help themselves

BlueCaliDem

(15,438 posts)
11. They *are* starting to take a closer look at Republicans.
Fri Nov 6, 2015, 09:23 AM
Nov 2015

The OP is correct, the media don't know what to do with themselves. Sanders' star is losing its luster and Hillary Clinton has already been so thoroughly vetted (and excoriated) by the media that there's not much left for them to tear apart and make a scandal of.

However...there's plenty on the Republican side now, and its finally getting some attention.

murielm99

(30,765 posts)
8. If they want ratings, they need to
Thu Nov 5, 2015, 08:23 PM
Nov 2015

go to the Klown Kar. That is where the true entertainment is.

Our candidates are boring and normal.

Walk away

(9,494 posts)
12. Nobody cares what Bernie thinks of the GOP. Half of his supporters are republicans or...
Fri Nov 6, 2015, 10:19 AM
Nov 2015

"Libertarians" and everyone knows he's going to lose the nomination. His well know hatred of the Democratic party suggests he is only running to ruin our chances of keeping the White House.
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