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• What is the role of the news media?

  Like most of you, I have been overexposed to the tv news media for the last few days. And, as several of you have commented, I much prefer the relative sanity of the print media. Still, I find myself wondering why they both insist on covering polling in much more depth than they cover the substance of the issues or the candidates. As we watched the treatment of both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, we learned much more about who was likely to win and, later, why the polls were wrong than we did about the differences between the candidates. On last night's edition of PBS's "The News Hour" -- generally a terrific source of informative news -- Judy Woodruff admiitted... Posted Jan 10 2008, 09:57 AM by KTrapani with | with 10 comment(s) Filed under: Iowa caucuses, New Hampshire Primary, the media

• Democracy at work: The Iowa results

  One out of two isn't bad... I told you Mrs. Clinton might be a distant third and she was. What I missed was more important: a black man won a Presidential preference caucus in a white state. And, by doing so, Barack Obama proved that this process is color-blind and that he is no amateur: he won in the 5 largest precincts and he won on the realignment of supporters of unviable candidates -- precisely where I thought John Edwards would win. Good for Mr. Obama and good for the people of Iowa. The process of major change began today and almost exactly one year from today, we'll inaugurate a new President... one who will, again, make us proud to be Americans. Tomorrow, the candidates will... Posted Jan 03 2008, 10:35 PM by KTrapani with | with 9 comment(s) Filed under: Iowa caucuses, New Hampshire Primary

• Today, we begin to change for the better.

  Tonight, it will be 19 degrees in Iowa, a dramatic improvement over last night. And about 120,000 Democrats will go into homes, schools and churches and choose, in full public view, the presidential nominee of their party. Across town, in a slightly different process, Republicans will do the same. All across the state, Iowans will have begun the essential process of healing our country so desperately needs. Most thinking people now admit that we have lost our way in the past 7 years. We are not a country that fights wars of choice. We are not a country that tortures. We are not a debtor country. We are not an isolationist country. We are not a country that leaves poor people on rooftops for days... Posted Jan 03 2008, 01:45 PM by KTrapani with | with no comments Filed under: Iowa caucuses, values