If It's Sunday...

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_01/021841.php

January 9, 2010

IF IT'S SUNDAY.... CNN's Sunday show, "State of the Union," is touting its line-up for tomorrow's episode.

This week, {host John King's} exclusive guests are Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) LIVE from Jerusalem. We'll get their insight on the foiled airline terror plot and President Obama's strategy on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Hmm, McCain and Lieberman, talking together about foreign policy and national security. Now that's a balanced pairing.

But just as important, note that we haven't quite reached the first anniversary of President Obama's inauguration, and John McCain is on yet another Sunday morning talk show. And you know what that means -- it's time to update the big board.

This will be John McCain's 18th appearance on a Sunday morning talk show since Obama took office12 months ago. That's an average of one appearance every 2.9 weeks for a year -- more than any other public official in the country.

Since the president's inauguration, McCain has been on "Meet the Press" three times (December 6, July 12, and March 29), "This Week" three times (September 27, August 23, and May 10), "Face the Nation" four times (October 25, August 30, April 26, and February 8), and "Fox News Sunday" four times (December 20, July 2, March 8, and January 25). His appearance on CNN's "State of the Union" tomorrow will be his fourth (January 10, October 11, August 2, and February 15).

And who, exactly, is John McCain? He's the one who lost the 2008 presidential race badly, and is now just another reactionary conservative senator in the minority. He's not in the party leadership; he has no role in any important negotiations on any issue; and he's offered no significant pieces of legislation. By all appearances, McCain isn't even especially influential among his own GOP colleagues.

There's just no reason for the media's obsession with McCain. None. Eighteen Sunday-show appearances in 12 months? It's farcical.

Post Script: And reinforcing Jay Rosen's observation that "the Sunday morning talk shows are broken," it's also worth noting that Liz Cheney will be on ABC's "This Week" and CNN's "State of the Union" tomorrow, despite the fact that she's breathtakingly dishonest and has nothing to add to the public discourse.

—Steve Benen

[liberal N proud]

1. The Sunday Right Wing Propaganda shows.

[malaise]

7. +1

Note that they maintain their more ReTHUGS than Democrats despite the sweeping electoral victories by the Democratic party. M$Greedia is only fooling the sheeple.

[spanone]

2. there is no balanced reporting in america when it comes to political discourse

[HopeHoops]

3. If it's Sunday, shouldn't the wingnuts be in church instead of watching hatemongers?

:shrug:

[TwilightGardener]

4. Srsly, why bother watching? Same shit, from the same stupid mouths, every week.

[seeinfweggos]

5. mccain AND lieberman

must-see-teevee

[DangerousRhythm]

6. Thanks for the heads up. I won't even bother watching.

McCain AND Lieberman? Zzzzzz... seriously though, who the fuck wants to see these people first thing in the morning, bitching and lying on their TV sets? Awful.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

8. The american media constanly fails it's viewers.

:grr:

[SpiralHawk]

9. "The Sunday Morning Talk Shows are broken."

They are boring, spin-sick republicon spewage