Obama's control of the media.

It is all true. Obama has controlled the media in a way that would make Papa Stalin proud. Or, at the very least, Joe McCarthy. Roy Cohn is probably so impressed he'd is no doubt screaming "Yes, We Can!" in the deepest basement of hell.

Newsvine lays it out brutally here. Read it. But do so with the lights on as it is an American horror story. Everything from the absorption of the left wing blogs to the seizure of CNN is touched on. Not to mention the planned attacks on any one who voiced opposition - or even concern - about Obama. And, yes, the race card was played by Obama early, often and with abandon. I stated here months ago that Obama was running the most vicious Presidential campaign since Adams/Jefferson in 1800. It is clear now, I was wrong. Obama's primary campaign of 2008 is the most negative and mean spirited campaign in our history.

Thoughtful people who watch or read "news" in this country must come to terms with a simple fact sooner or later: There is no "news" media in the United States. There is a 24 hour show that feeds on the blogs - then itself - in cycles that last 36-74 hours. Like Phil Spectors Wall of Sound the media creates a Wall of Chatter. The only exceptions here are local stories and natural disasters but even in those cases the story is quickly molded into an event that avoids solid information. The financial model for reality TV is applicable here. Reality TV is, of course, not reality at all. If the perfunctory patterns of our day to day lives were put on television - no one would watch. Solid information costs money to gather. Journalists have to be journalists, go places, ask discerning questions, demand answers. 100 monkeys typing could have reported with more depth on Obama during the past 6 months. Sound bites and people chatting about the sound bites is much cheaper. This environment is just as conducive to P.R. agents and fads as Entertainment Tonight. Obama has proven both George Orwell and Paddy Chayefsky right.

For all that - the latest Gallup 3 day tracking poll has McCain and Obama tied. Who knows what will happen? I do know reality is often immune to P.R. Katrina taught us that. Reality may strike Obama from an odd angle no one sees coming. (Example: Israel is signalling there will be an attack on Iran - will security moms vote Hope/Change with the Middle East in flames?) Since BHO's campaign is based on FORCE not POWER it has inherent weaknesses and could collapse in an instant.

Regardless, most people can still discern the difference between an ad campaign for Love Guru and a Presidential campaign. The protection and promotion of Obama by the media may last past the election. But CNN is not in the business of news - it is in the business of weaving a narrative that keeps you and I tuned in. There will come a point with Obama, just like it did with Bush, when the media sees that the story has changed - the new narrative being "Who is this guy and can we trust him with the job?" It may happen after he has the job - but I pray it does not.