No decent candidates for President?

Question

Let's face it. No one in their right mind wants to be President because the press will make your life a nightmare. The press makes it impossible for good candidates to run because of the horrible and unfair scrutiny it places upon a person and his entire family. Only people with the most bland personalities and lifestyles can possibly survive the relentless attacks from the press.

Once a President is in office, the modern press makes it impossible for him to do his job. Imagine if, during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the press decided to print stories of JFK's marital infidelities with Marilyn Monroe? Can you imagine how such a huge distraction might have caused that chapter in history to go terribly, terribly wrong?

How about Clinton? How could he perform his duties with the press micro-analyzing everything? Imagine the thousands of hours Clinton had to waste on this, rather than combatting terrorism.

What can we do to make the press more responsible?

Answer 1

As far as I'm concerned this is one of the major problems that this country is facing. The majority of those who would make great leaders are staying in the private sector because of the scrutiny that they will be under. I'm sure the founding fathers had no clue the level of irresponsibility that the press would end up having today. Unfortunately this society we live in today is a Jerry Springer society. Many love the got ya reporting that happens today because in some sick way it makes them feel better about their OWN miserable life. I for one would NEVER put myself or my family though that. We ALL have skeletons in our closets..EVERY ONE OF US!!.I'm 50 yrs old and in many ways I'm NOTHING like I was at 20...To expose someones past JUST to humiliate because you oppose their point of view or the party they represent is a disgrace. We can't limit the press on what they report, but we sure as heck can stop buying their papers or watching their biased news broadcasts. I blame our society more then I do the press though. If everyone would be more involved in what they watch or buy then MAYBE they will start doing their jobs of reporting, and get away from influencing.

Answer 2

The press wouldn't report such crap if there wasn't a market for it. We can complain about endless Paris Hilton stories all we want, but somewhere, somebody is buying it or watching it.

If we didn't watch it or buy it, they'd eventually stop running it because they'd be losing money. The only way to make the press more responsible is for MORE people to 1) compain to editors or programming directors and 2) turn off the tv or stop buying the magazine/papers/etc.

Of course, only a few of us will do this, not enough to make the media change anything. Most people are too lazy, selfish, and apathetic to even vote, let alone hold the press accountable for their drivel.

Answer 3

I'd love a Republican candidate with the management skills of Romney, the intensity of McCain on the War on Terrorism, the technological vision of Gingrich, and the leadership in crisis experience of Giuliani.

He'd also need the thick hide of an elephant to fend off the slings and arrows of Dems and their allies in the MSM.

Answer 4

That's a tough question, because I don't think that it is possible to make them more responsible. I totally agree that they need to spend less time trying to sensationalize a story and more time on the issues... But once the 24/7 News Networks came about, the news went from being "the news" to being "Entertainment." This leaves us having to endure stories about Paris Hilton, Lohan, Anna Nicole... etc etc mixed into actual REAL news.

It's our (American's) fault for being so easily placated by this cheapened version of the "news' and so addicted escapism.

So the first step, REALLY, is to get American's, as a WHOLE, to actually care... And unfortunately, I just don't see that happening.

Answer 5

I have given up on there being fairness. I just don't watch their news programs or buy their papers if I can help it. They pander to democrats and slander Republicans. It's the way the press works right now I say defeat them in the market place by not watching or buying.

Answer 6

I think this whole idea of "gotcha" journalism in the Washington Press Corps started with Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and the Washington Post, and how - in their ego-fueled, self-centered, arrogant, cocktail party world - they single-handedly "saved our Constitutional Republic and destroyed an evil and immoral President."

Now - even 30 plus years later - every little journalism major in the country wants to win the Pulitizer, wants the book deals, the television appearances, the fame, the acclaim, the respect of their peers.....

and so, in short - there is nothing we can do to get the press to act more responsibly now - the genie is out of the bottle.

Answer 7

regrettably we are without that variety of management on the 2d. a lot of people who could be sturdy won't subject themselves to the brutality of the scrutiny of the media and the widely used public. i think of additionally that the subject is plenty greater effective than the place of work of president. a individual without journey or skills replaced into spearheaded from obscurity to triumphing the election with people dancing in the line heaping praises on empty rhetoric and fake grants. How will we try in comparison? How will we shop our usa?

Answer 8

If the Republicans would drop their moral values pretenses, the press would lose interest in the salacious gossip.

Answer 9

Hahahaha...good one. Clinton was a low-life's lowlife and the "press" tried to give him a pass...only the Big Idiot could screw it up enough to get the pusillanimous Congress to impeach him.