Perry Hits Iceberg

I used to think the media or most of it looked at the world through ‘two left eyes’ – back in the days of Jesse Helms the media’s liberal bias was a mantra and article of faith.
 
Now, I’ve come to think what the media loves more than politics or ideology is a good story. A story that sells. And Rick Perry’s campaign may be a pretty good example.
 
Look at Perry’s story so far through a reporter’s eyes: ‘Rick Perry may run’ was a good first chapter – a teaser a lot of people from Republicans to Obama supporters would read. Chapter Two – ‘Perry Announces’ – led to an even better story with trumpets and crescendos. Now the reporters are writing Chapter Three and they have to choose between two story-lines: ‘Perry Soars’ and ‘Perry Hits Iceberg.’ For instance, Sunday the New York Times reported as Governor of Texas Perry has been routinely handing out multi-million dollar government grants and contracts and tax breaks to his biggest contributors, who’ve helped him raise more money than any politician in Texas history – which is saying a lot when you consider Lyndon Johnson and George Bush are from Texas.
 
That’s a ‘Perry Hits Iceberg’ story.
 
Which, if you’re a reporter, is a better storyline than Perry cruises to victory and lives happily ever after.
 
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Carter Wrenn

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Perry Hits Iceberg

I used to think the media or most of it looked at the world through ‘two left eyes’ – back in the days of Jesse Helms the media’s liberal bias was a mantra and article of faith.
 
Now, I’ve come to think what the media loves more than politics or ideology is a good story. A story that sells. And Rick Perry’s campaign may be a pretty good example.
 
Look at Perry’s story so far through a reporter’s eyes: ‘Rick Perry may run’ was a good first chapter – a teaser a lot of people from Republicans to Obama supporters would read. Chapter Two – ‘Perry Announces’ – led to an even better story with trumpets and crescendos. Now the reporters are writing Chapter Three and they have to choose between two story-lines: ‘Perry Soars’ and ‘Perry Hits Iceberg.’ For instance, Sunday the New York Times reported as Governor of Texas Perry has been routinely handing out multi-million dollar government grants and contracts and tax breaks to his biggest contributors, who’ve helped him raise more money than any politician in Texas history – which is saying a lot when you consider Lyndon Johnson and George Bush are from Texas.
 
That’s a ‘Perry Hits Iceberg’ story.
 
Which, if you’re a reporter, is a better storyline than Perry cruises to victory and lives happily ever after.
 
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Carter Wrenn

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