Of course Clinton is ahead in the polls.

[Scootaloo]

And "Duck Hunters" was the most popular show in America, the Bible (KJV) is the #1 book in America, and orange is the new pink.

You know, it's a little strange. My return to watching television happened to coincide with the kickoff of this primary stuff. it wasn't exactly voluntary (I had to change my living situation in August) but it's been fascinating. I feel like i've discovered a lost tribe sometimes.

At any rate, the person i'm staying with watches the morning shows. Morning news, morning talk shows, the whole gamut. And what I keep hearing is a constant drumbeat...

Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton.

Biden gets tossed in now and then, and on rare occasion, Cleveland, i mean Carson will poke his head in there, but other than that?

Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton.

And then we switch to the evening news later on!

Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton.

And then I come on DU and I see a lot of people polishing their nails against their chests, looking smug that Clinton is ahead in the polls. Well... No kidding she is, guys, she's the only democratic candidate catching air from the media. You've got the New York Times saying that Clinton was running unopposed (and that O'Malley "might run" after he had declared his candidacy.) You've got the 24 / 7 talking heads selling the ClintonTrumpClintonTrump narrative, and the only time another democratic candidate is mentioned is to punctuate something about Clinton. They don't get their own time as candidates, just as occasional Clinton accessories.

"But Scootaloo!" you protest, "All the media coverage of Clinton is negative!"

And right you are! Real quick, does that negative coverage impact your view of her? Do you watch the constant rambling about E-mails, and feel like, oh boy, I can't support this candidate?" To judge from DU... no, you certainly don't. In fact it appears that the "scandal"-mongering at Clinton has the net effect of reinforcing support. People already inclined ot support her rally around her and see the negative publicity as partisan hackery, "proving" their candidate is a grand victim in need of robust support!

...And amusingly? Republicans are the same way. They are saying that Trump only catches negging, too... And they feel it's the "liberal media" trying to take him out. So they double up on their support for the guy. His negative publicity isn't hurting him among hte people most likely to vote for him, it's helping him - and in no small part due to crowding out the other canddiates in that race.

And all the while, these two remain the only names being mouthed in the media. It's a self-reinforcing refrain

Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton, Trump, Clinton.

So yes. These are the two candidates leading in polls for their respective tickets in October. And a good chunk of that is that constant, unending rhythm of these two names, and only these two names being given any serious discussion (...such as one can call 24/7 news "serious discussion&quot by the media.

It's not a malfeasance on the part of the Clinton campaign or anything. She's not behind this any more than Trump is (and no - he's not either.) What it is, is the media trying to set a trend. I suppose we all have different ideas on why that is, from horse race ratings to corporate interest... but the plain reality is that the media IS trying ot set trends, and it IS having an effect on poll results.

Would my candidate be ahead if this ClintonTrumpClintonTrump thing weren't happening? I can't say for certain. But I am certain that he would be ahead if the media refrain were instead SandersTrumpSandersTrump.

[upaloopa]

1. I don't watch TV

We don't take our ideas from TV
Hillary is in the lead because of those running she is the choice of the majority of Dems.

You underestimate our thinking ability

[HerbChestnut]

2. Not trying to offend, but you don't speak for everybody.

I think the OP has a fair point. How much of Trump's rise has been due to constant media exposure? I'll bet the two go hand in hand. And Hillary Clinton without a doubt benefits from constant stories about her regardless of their content.

[upaloopa]

7. The OP seems to be able to think for

everybody. I think I am closer to reality than the OP is.

[Scootaloo]

5. The point is one of exposure.

And I think all sides can agree that people posting on Du are probably an exception to the general populace, in regard to our interest in the subject. So as the poster just above brought out, you can't really speak for anyone.

As for your thinking ability, I wasn't casting any judgement there.

[upaloopa]

8. You seem to be ok with speaking for everybody

Hillary has been in the public eye for 30 years

[workinclasszero]

11. Exactly

Speaking for myself only, I have never heard of Bernie Sanders till a couple of months ago and I follow politics pretty closely.

[upaloopa]

13. He has been on Thom for years

Brunch with Bernie every Friday since I can remember

[Scootaloo]

14. Not at all. I'm describing what the media is doing.

[BainsBane]

3. People got to see Bernie in the debate

and rather than sending them flocking to support him, his numbers have dropped.

[Fred Sanders]

9. But that is the fault of the media and pundits now "loving Clinton", the false real polls resulted,

and mainly because Democrats can not think for themselves and draw their own judgments.....did I miss any?

[frylock]

12. You don't count over 3 million dollars in donations over a 3 day period as support?

[uponit7771]

4. Yeap, Clinton and all her Wall Street buddies she palls around with bought all the polls and ...

... now she's leading not because she's a talented person because she's the evil and stuff /sarcasm <--- cause this is needed around here

[Scootaloo]

6. "It's not a malfeasance on the part of the Clinton campaign or anything. She's not behind this"

I'm hate quoting myself like that, but perhaps you're replying to the wrong thread?

[Uncle Joe]

10. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Scootaloo.