The Deuce and ABC News

We all know the MSM is in love with The Glorious Leader. That's bad. But the MSM has another problem that is, to me, equally worrisome...they're in love with tabloid journalism.

On Wednesday, July 1, 2009, these were the stories that aired, in order, on ABC Evening News, and the amount of air time devoted to each story. "Long" means greater than two minutes; "Medium" means between one and two minutes; "Short" means less than one minute.

1. Michael Jackson's Will and Supposed Drug Use ( long ).

Seriously? This is ABC's lead story? Can you imagine Walter Cronkite leading with this story, or the Huntley-Brinkley Report, or Edward R. Morrow? ABC might as well put out a paper edition that they can sell at the super market checkout line right next to the National Enquirer and Star. I can see a short story later in the broadcast, but to make this your lead and devote so much air time to it is just selling out. What's next? Angelina Jolie Adopts Bigfoot?

2. American Obesity "Crisis" Gets Worse ( medium ).

What the hell is the mystery? Lets see, American kids spend way too much time sitting in front of screens; TV, video games, computers and cell phones. They eat too much fast food because their parents are too busy seeing their shrinks and going to support groups to prepare real meals. Said parents, wanting to be 'friends' with their kids, are too weak to tell their kids to get off their butts and go outside and play. All the 'experts' agree on the needed action; reduce ( tax ) the consumption soft drinks and snack foods; outlaw fast food joints in neighborhoods hit hardest by fatness ( minority 'hoods ); press criminal charges of child endangerment on parents whose kids are obese. Here's the real fix. Parents, severely limit the time your kids spend sitting in front of screens. Problem solved.

3. The California Budget Crisis ( short ).

The most populated state is a few weeks from going broke, and this is the third story...and given less than a minute of airtime? When the Golden State ( no pun intended ) goes bankrupt what do you think they're going to do? They're going to beg Obama for a bailout...and they're going to get it, and the rest of America will be on the hook for another $100 billion in debt. New York to follow in a few months. We should pay for the insanity of these two bastions of liberalism? LET THEM FAIL! It's the only way the respective state houses will be forced to bow to reality.

4. The Soap Opera that is Gov. Sanford of South Carolina ( long ).

Oprah, Dr. Phil and Maurry Povich begged him to come on their TV shows. The MSM loves a political sex scandal. Gov. Sanford couldn't keep his johnson in his pants...and then when the scandal broke, he couldn't keep his mouth shut. He gave interviews to every media outlet except Entertainment Tonight. What a moron. The story deserved about fifteen seconds of air time, which is about fourteen seconds longer than Sanford should have remained in office.

5. The "Coup" In Honduras ( medium ).

First, it wasn't a coup. The sitting president tried to ignore the constitutional limits of his term and so the military ousted him and the new president was allowed to take office. Second, why do we care about what's going on in Honduras? South of the Rio Grande there's nothing but banana republics anyway...that effects America not a whit. It's been that way since the Spanish and the Portuguese gave up their colonies. The MSM loves dictators, God knows why, and they spend an inordinate amount of time chronicling their lust for power. Castro, Chavez or whoever, let them pretend to be democratically elected presidents if that's what they want. Never fear, former president Jimmy Carter will show up down there soon enough to ensure the commies retain their grip on power.

6. Marine Offensive In Afghanistan ( very short ).

This should have been the lead story, but the MSM are tired of stories of the Taliban and Bin Laden. They're so 'yesterday'. Who wants to hear about America's bravest fighting the most backwards and ignorant terrorists on the planet, to keep yet another Muslim country from becoming a safe haven for them? It's not like the war effects America. After all, the Jacko story is much sexier.

7. Fourteen Year Old Girl Survives Yemeni Plane Crash ( short ).

I'm glad she survived. I wish more people had survived. But this is worth air time on the evening news?

8. Americans Overdosing On Over The Counter Acetaminophen Medicines ( long ).

I read the directions and warning labels on all the medicines I take, over the counter or prescribed by my doctor, and adhere to the dosage levels. Apparently a lot of people don't. You can't fix stupid.

9. June Auto Sales ( long ).

Ninth? This should have been in the top three. The auto sector is a huge engine of economic strength and vitality in America. It's health, or lack thereof, is a good indicator of the health of the entire U.S. economy, especially when two of the big three are trying to recover from bankruptcy filings. But hey...fat kids are...well...they're kids!

10. The Sears Tower See-Through Ledge ( short ).

Yawn. I'm more interested in the occupancy rate of the building and what's wrong with the Cubs offense.

11. Actor Karl Malden Dies ( long ).

Well, at least it was last. Karl was a good actor and deserved the send off ABC gave him. And there wasn't one negative thing about how Karl was just a white, heterosexual man who wasn't a vegetarian, polar bear saving, racist, sexist homophobe. Remarkable.

Someone once said that history is written by the winners. Remember, news is written by the elites...and at this point in American history, the elites are not our friends. Pay attention to what is reported and what is not. Pay attention to what is emphasized and what is not. Don't rely on one news source. And remember...EVERYONE has an agenda.