Tragedy and Farce: How the American Media Sell Wars, Spin Elections, and Destroy Democracy – John Nichols and Robert W. McChesney

Tragedy and Farce: How the American Media Sell Wars, Spin Elections, and Destroy Democracy – John Nichols and Robert W. McChesney, W.W. Norton and Company, Inc. (2005) 211pp. (S) ***

In the closing pages of their book, Nichols and McChesney cite a twenty-first century truism (actually a truism that was probably applicable in other times as well): “Campaign finance reform is a first cousin to media reform.”(p.187) In other words, those with the bigger war chest are at a distinct advantage to flood the airwaves with mendacious mud, thus increasing the likelihood that it will stick. Candidate and president George W. Bush is as striking an example of this phenomenon as anyone. Given his poor oratory and penchant to misspeak, one would think that the media would have a field day with such a public figure. But Bush, as the candidate who has consistently outspent his opponents, seems oddly immune from such criticism, further using his resources as hush money to quiet potential negative media coverage. According to Nichols and McChesney, who cite Bob Woodward as their source, Howard Dean was the candidate who Karl Rove most feared (ostensibly because of his unbending opposition to the Iraq invasion and occupation). But Dean, who received a deferment during the Vietnam war, would seem like a ripe target for Rove’s hyper-nationalist mud machine, especially given how Senator John Kerry, a decorated combat veteran, was so outrageously slandered. With respect to Kerry, the authors write, “John Kerry was uniquely ill-suited to be the presidential nominee of a major party in 2004.”(p.125) This reviewer must strongly disagree with this statement. John Kerry’s record as combat veteran, the only one among all the Democratic candidates, was the strongest card to show up the inadequacy of a chickenhawk/deserter president. Again, we come back to the money, money to buy slanderous adds by the “Swift Boat Veterans” and the ludicrous “Stolen Honor” “documentary.” Other measures may have had smaller budgets, but nonetheless clearly demonstrated the desperation of the right. Consider that during the 2004 Republican national convention in New York City, band-aids with miniature purple hearts on them were being distributed, apparently in a mocking gesture towards all those who have been wounded in combat. Such puerile and shameless ignorance is really quite astonishing – indeed, far beyond the pale.
One instance not cited by the authors where a big checkbook played a significant role, is in the period immediately following the 2004 presidential election. Instead of hearing about the many voting “irregularities” of the election just passed, the public’s attention was absurdly derailed by the corporate media to focus on the projected 2008 race with conjecture that Hillary Clinton might head the Democratic ticket. It was if the RNC itself had nominated Clinton, knowing how much of a lightening rod she is for many American voters. Whatever the case, it was a classic diversionary tactic, with the corporate media dutifully taking its cues from Republican “talking points.”
Perhaps the most egregious example of media abuse is the “Dean scream.” Surprisingly, the authors write, “we are not objecting to the media being tough on Dean.”(p.124) Does “being tough” include incessantly re-running a two-second clip in a twenty-four news cycle, of an unglamorous moment in order to ridicule a candidate and torpedo any chances of him gaining the nomination? Again, the big money was talking. Dean was perceived as being too far outside Washington’s narrow margins, so his campaign had to be effectively halted. Indeed, campaign finance reform must be the first priority.