Romney vs FOX

A major part of our presidential process in this modern age is through the media. Tons of people, even classmates of mine, blame the media for influencing us in certain ways- making the president look insufficient or overzealous at times. However, that is their job. The media is suppose to inform and influence us. Everyone knows that certain television networks take certain sides on politics, and some people think that they shouldn’t do that.

My specific advice to those who think that the news is too opinionated: if you really feel that way about the news and media centers, I certainly hope that you watch C-Span. I can’t tell you how many people are FOX haters, but watch MSNBC, and those who watch FOX but despise MSNBC. I call you fools for anyone who makes such a criticism and doesn’t regulate it when they don’t criticize it.

When it comes down to it, the media influences the way we think and feel about anything they broadcast- especially Presidents. Television provides us a direct link to the President. Let’s face it, I’ve never received a Christmas Card from the White House, or even a personal letter in the mailbox explaining why the economy is the way it is from the President’s office. We need the television to get a sense of a presidential candidate’s personality, political views, and campaign promises. We depend on it.

Republican candidate Mitt Romney was rarely seen on television prior to a recent interview by Bret Baier with FOX News this last week. Unlike Cain who couldn’t keep his face off the news, Romney has been relatively quiet off the set of the Primary debates in the fall. This interview almost felt like a ‘behind the scenes’ or ‘backstage’ interview.

The interview has become popular now not because of Romney, but because of the situation that came about during the interview. The interview was very different than what you’d expect from a ‘conservative media affiliate’ interviewing someone they would potentially endorse if Romney wins the Primary. Romney talked back to Baier about “getting his facts right” throughout the interview as Baier questioned Romney persistently on his inconsistency on his policies. Specifically, Romney stumbled over what to do with the 11 million illegal immigrants.

Baier went as far as to reveal after the broadcast was released that Romney approached him after the interview was conducted, saying that he didn’t like Baier’s interview.

I, in some ways, sympathize with Romney . For one, Baier spent a lot of time asking Romney some very insensitive and, frankly, offensive questions. Baier went as far as to ask Romney if he thinks Gingrich would beat Obama out of the White House. …too soon…. That’s like asking a semi-finalist Boxer if his opponent would be able to take down the Heavy Weight Champion of the world. And to Romney’s credit, though he stumbled, he kept a path of communication on issues that he could answer.

I found the whole situation very confusing since it is so late in the game for initial interviews to be conducted it feels like. Romney’s clearly setting an image of himself as the only “economist” in the Primary race, but at the expense of his other policies and weak points being broken down and attacked by the media.

"Cain, Cain, Go Away. Come Again Another Daaayyyy"

After all the accusation, after all the drama, after all the petty little complaints and finger pointing, we are finally able to witness Mr. Cain step down from his GOP campaign for Presidency. Cain has been all the talk recently as he has been accused of sexual misconduct and harassment, and criticized on his economic and immigration plans, and now we are treated to a little bit of silence from his team and the media.

Herman Cain’s attention originated from his own vernacular. I personally thing the funniest thing he said was in an interview in the early fall, saying that he was looking to avoid any “sneak-a-taxes” on the American tax payer, which was then tied all into his 9-9-9 plan. His 9-9-9 plan was the forefront of his campaign pledge and stance. He continually defended the plan, and received a lot of criticism and inquiry from people as he continued to support his plan. The attention was lost on his main plan when he struggled to be as specific with any other issue during the debates in the late fall and early winter.

What is left now are two things- The remember and humor gags of Cain’s campaign is the first. But more importantly, HIS VOTERS are now up for grabs by the other GOP candidates. New Hampshire is coming up in a few months, meaning that the time to gain supporters is NOW. The other Republican candidates are fishing for Cain’s supporters in order to secure a fair chance, and they hope to do so by upsetting the Romney and Gingrich campaigns, who have over the last few weeks have influenced their way to the top of the polls of the Republican race for a Primary winner.

The underdogs, or…just dogs, of this campaign are Michelle Bachmann, Ron Paul, and that other guy… I mean Rick Santorum, and hoping to snack Cain supporters despite their own low percentage rates in the race. The one way I can see this happening is because Cain was a supporter of small government, and hoping the Tea Party supporters would lean toward the Bachmann campaign for her notoriety in it.

What challenges me with the results of Cain’s abandonment of the Primary race is how much energy we focus on him…and for what? A friend of mine refrains from political race talk because he claim’s “it’s too early for anything to matter.” In some ways, yes I agree with him. There is no certain outcome for any of the candidates. After all, the three months of media attention that Cain has received is now irrelevant and will be forgotten about in 2 months. Yet, it is not too early in some ways, for his supporters now have a very difficult task to undertake: they must re-adjust their views to someone else. Refer back to a post I published I think it was last week: our beliefs and ideals make a hollow hold for someone to fit into- a candidate can’t fit the mold perfectly, so we must chose who fits it best. In the next week it will be interesting to see where they readjust and to whom.

(Bonus points for anyone who can write the next line to the Song that is featured in the title of this post!)