Something Else About Which I Should Be Concerned

If they're going to do this, they should at least point out Republicans accomplished nothing on immigration policy in the Trump years except (1) cruel and often illegal EOs (2) trivial border "wall" changes (3) tons of taxpayer money to GOP donors who run ICE detention companies. https://t.co/cqlzUM9Fu6

— Max Kennerly (@MaxKennerly) March 21, 2021

ABC apparently was hoping for some "World War Z" imagery; or at least people clinging to the chain link (that's what looks to be in the background to me):

Like the WaPo article, the Sunday shows are overtly catering to a restrictionist messaging campaign. https://t.co/1S4yTdHtEg

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) March 21, 2021

Apparently, the problem is the Sunday shows didn't want to praise Biden for what has already happened, because, contra Judge Silberman, the media is in thrall to the GOP:

Oh hey, look at that, Democrats passed a massive stimulus and COVID vaccinations are skyrocketing, but Republicans would rather talk about the border so ...https://t.co/Rqxfs1yqD3

— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) March 21, 2021

I think it's more a matter of the word "new" imbedded in the word "news." And the fact Biden doesn't tweet and isn't a xenophobic racist, so what else is there to talk about but the 'crisis' at the border. Which is closed for the pandemic, anyway. The real crisis is the towns on the border that can't do business, as they usually do, with the other side of the border. Yes, I wish they'd covered that problem. No, I'm not surprised they didn't.

Of course, the only people who watch these shows are political geeks (raises hand) and politicians and pundits in D.C.  The pundits so they know what the new “smart” talking points are, the politicians to see if they want to be invited on next week.  So these shows cater to the GOP as much as to the Democrats, in order to have something to show every week.  If they turned on the GOP for their nonsense and flim-flam, they’d soon have nobody to interview but the same Democrats and Biden Administration spokespersons over and over and over.

And really, when was the last time Press the Meat or `That Week with the Guy with the Funny Name or whatever shows CBS has (?  I’m askin’.  Seriously.) actually a) made news itself, or b) affected a political outcome.

“60 Minutes” was more relevant and noticed.  Back when Mike Wallace was still alive.

Although, granted, Chuck Todd is a dick:

Good Sunday Morning —

It's fair to call the deteriorating situation at the US-Mexican border a crisis — even if the Biden administration refuses to use that word.

But it's more than that: It's a political crisis for the new president, with no easy way out. pic.twitter.com/7mHiB8FbCl

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 21, 2021

This is not a “crisis,” this is the normal situation on the border.  People were traveling north in the winter (across the Sonoran desert, for some part) to get here in early spring, before the heat gets turned on.  They didn’t wind up here because they knew Biden was a soft touch or because they thought Trump was dead (ding-dong, the witch is dead!).  They are sending their minor children because they are desperate to save their children from horrific circumstances at home.  It is those circumstances Biden wants to address, but he can’t start doing that four years ago.  This is a pretty normal event every year, if not every four (accounts vary).  It is not a “crisis” except insofar as the border is closed to prevent the spread of the pandemic (most of the people coming face more immediate threats than COVID-19).  Calling it a crisis really is just bullshit labeling in order to get somebody to watch your show (or to show the GOP you aren’t wholly on the side of Biden.  Interview subjects, as I said.  It’s not like Todd is known for his toughness.)

And besides, Biden won big in the first 50 days.  Gotta show you aren’t an Administration shill, because all the kewl kids are doing it!  And, as I say, how much influence does Chuck Todd have?

The question answers itself. Give it a rest.