Aug 11, 2008

MMMM #8: TV as an Agent of Absolution

A New York Times piece about TV in light of John Edwards scandal says it all for this MMMM. There's been no shortage of folks asking "What was he thinking?". The Times story asks the same about the Senator's decision to talk to ABC Television (and then CBS) about his affair. TV makes everything bigger, including mistakes. Live TV is even worse, since there's no calling back whatever ill-advised comment that might be made. There are still several top state officials who refuse to be a guest on APT's For The Record. I suppose they figure "Why take the chance?" If there's no downside to saying no, and significant danger in saying yes, why not refuse? When he was a guest on Friday, Deputy State Senate President Pro-Tem Wendell Mitchell didn't like being put into a corner on his lack of support for his party's presumed presidential nominee (or the presumed GOP nominee either, for that matter), but he's a seasoned politician, is very popular in his district, and in the long run is better served by being on FTR than by saying no. Not every Alabama elected official can say that.

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