Throughout the day, I watch both CNN and MSNBC and a couple of hours ago as the jobs numbers were released I listened to both networks. The best way to describe what unfolded was watching a bunch of kids being told their bikes had just been stolen. Yes, the media was crushed. Not for the American people, though, but for Their Precious One.
No one, however, made me laugh harder than CNN’s Soledad O’Brien. Right now Soledad is presiding over a disastrous CNN morning show that probably draws fewer viewers than a midnight fistfight outside a Texas honkytonk, and here’s part of the reason why:
If Mitt Romney doesn’t come forward with a better plan, many economists we spoke to this morning would say, “You know, the President is not to blame and that anybody in the same position would have the same challenging numbers. It’s really going to be incumbent upon the Republicans to say ‘Well, here’s what we would do better and provide a convincing argument if they expect to take the White House'”.
That Soledad quote is actually from the show that follows her’s, but it’s the same absurd talking points I laughed out loud at during her own barely watchable show.
What Soledad is transparently doing there, besides proving why CNN’s ratings have completely collapsed, is engaging in the media art of “SomeSay.” And what that is is selectively choosing who to quote in order to make the point you want to make and to push a narrative you want to push. SomeSay is simply a way around openly blurting out your own partisan opinion.
Obviously, this is Soledad’s way of telling the CNN viewing audience that Obama shouldn’t be blamed for these jobs figures. She also wants to put the focus of these numbers back on Romney and Republicans. Worse still, Soledad pretends Romney hasn’t come forward with an economic plan, which is simply not true. Romney’s 87 page plan to create jobs is available to anyone, even Soledad, right here.
Also note Don Lemon’s description of the CNN newsroom as the jobs news broke: “Oh, my God. Whoa.”
Make of that what you will.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC