Thanks only to the very same Benghazi investigation the media alternately ridiculed, dismissed, and ignored as OLD NEWS, we are now in day 3 of a serious scandal involving the almost-certain Democrat nominee for president. Yes, the media is covering the scandal. The media always COVER scandals. What the media rarely does to Democrats is to allow the scandal to cause serious political damage.
Sure, the media is chasing the story down and asking questions. Good on them. More please. But the thrill of the hunt is in no one’s eyes, and it is certainly not in their actions. maybe I’m overreacting. It’s not like Hillary is the NFL commissioner. We’re talking State Secrets here, not deflated footballs.
TMZ is practicing journalism. Follow the links and you’ll see video the media is not replaying of Hillary refusing to answer questions about the scandal,
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– @TMZ ambushed Hillary on two http://t.co/Ll2gmzyWwt occasions http://t.co/Pdxh2omgZQ yesterday – where are the rest of the cameras?
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) March 5, 2015
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Where’s the unrelenting public pressure from the media demanding Ms. Clinton answer questions?
How have we gone 3 days without the media buttonholing even a single Democrat lawmaker on-camera to comment on the scandal — you know, the moment that plays over and over and over at the top of every cable news hour.
Where are the headlines and cable news chyrons: PRESSURE GROWS ON HILLARY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS… HILLARY’S SILENCE RAISES MORE QUESTIONS…
Where is the video of Democrat lawmakers waving off questions shouted by correspondents?
Where is the live feed from the Clintons’ Chappaqua home — where the only movement is a gaggle of hungry journalists waiting, waiting, waiting….
There might be some pressure behind the scenes. But The Narrative that Ms. Clinton is ducking and/or refusing to answer questions is almost non-existent. This of course is a highly damaging Narrative. It makes the target look cowardly, dishonest, and like they have something to hide.
This Narrative, when applied correctly, becomes The Story as the media come together in pursuit of a common goal: answers, gaffes, video, and most importantly, a way to keep the story alive a little longer.
Some examples….
If a long-retired mayor questions President Obama’s patriotism, for days the oxygen is sucked out of The Narrative as the media goes on a death hunt over what is suddenly a “Republican problem.” Said Mayor and every Republican within camera range must be called on to answer for this insult to The Emperor.
If a rising Republican candidate for president answers honestly that he “doesn’t know” if an Emperor, who uses his Christian faith to shield a lie about his position on gay marriage, is in fact Christian, like villagers chasing Frankenstein, the media fans out demanding anyone with an R after their name renounce, disavow, repudiate, and grind into dust the questioning of Obama’s love for the Baby Jesus.
If an obscure Senate candidate says something stupid about rape, this explodes into a self-righteous Republicans-War-On-Women-Problem fury for weeks (or until the Emperor is safely re-elected).
You get my point here.
We are in day 3 of a very serious scandal and all #GrandmaKnowsBest has done so far is to fire off a Tweet saying she is all in favor of The Little People seeing the emails she chose to release to the State Department from a private server that offers more access to North Korea than to the American people.
A full-blown media Narrative that demands Hillary Clinton answer questions will politically damage Hillary Clinton. Republicans never receive 3 hour passes, much less 3 days passes.
I’ll tell you what Hillary Clinton is doing right now. She knows her media history; she’s waiting for a Republican to commit the media sin of “overreach” when commenting on the scandal … waiting until “GOP Overreach” becomes The Media Narrative … which in turn becomes the “All-Republicans-Must-Answer-For-This-Overreach” Narrative.
If past is prologue, that’s a pretty safe strategy on her part.
John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC
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