John Dickerson writes:

"If the candidates really go on a joint tour, they'll be testing our capacity to hold off on our snap judgments. Will we let the candidates talk as freely as we say we want them to? Will we put a little cartilage into our politics and let them be imprecise and approximate and not jump on them with the gotchas and the Web videos? We can disdain moderators who ask questions designed to trap candidates, but we're no different if we screech every time they put a foot wrong."

Who does Dickerson mean by "we" here? Ostensibly he means the general public—but, more accurately, I think he should mean the media. The newsmedia—specifically the gotta-keep-the-drama-flying cable news anchors—are the ones who have driven this "gaffe-centric" campaign. I think the general public will go where it is led, by both the candidates (who both seem to be making an effort to make this a positive, transformative campaign) and the newsmedia. Obama and McCain are holding up their part of the bargain—Wallace, Russert, et al, what about you?

that is a damn good point my friend. the gloom and doomers have couricized the news as to be excruciatingly shallow. at least we still have FOX.

<link>

terry mac saying that they really are fair and balanced.