In my most recent NPR Commentary I rail against the habit of putting articles about black male politicians in the style section. One of the reasons we don’t really know what people like Barak Obama stand for is because pundits are so concerned with their charisma, or with their backstory. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Stop Putting Politics in the Style Section!
by admin | Aug 9, 2006 | Black Power, Campaigns and Elections, Neoliberalism, Pop Culture, The Mass Media, Urban Politics | 3 comments
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- Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » Bunch-O-Links–Now That Alas is Finally Back Up Edition - [...] 9. Lester Spence asks why we keep putting stories about Black male politicians in the style section. This is…
I heard your commentary this evening and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I couldn’t agree more. As a former Detroit suburbanite, I found your citings of both Dennis Archer and Kwame Kilpatrick interesting. The lack of real information about all of these people’s stance on issues seems to be a real problem. In the 2002 campaign, local FM radio stations interviewed Kwame kilpatrick and I can remember conversations about the Lions football. I don’t think any real issue questions were asked.
Thanks for the commentary. The Washington Post should be ashamed. Hopefully other news organizations will take notice and deliver real news.
I also enjoyed your commentary.
I do have a question. Perhaps, it will reveal political science is not a field in which I’ve achieved advanced literacy.
Would municipal Black political leaders, such as those you mentioned, benefit more from the national level charisma and “keeping it real quotient†focused news pieces or national level news pieces about their municipal politico-business models?
I ask because I realize star power and good marketing help extend the national influence of politicians—often more than their qualities of character, the merits of their ideas, or their track records. And, increased national influence might translate into more social capital and access to economic capital, which could be used to better support the implementation of municipal politicians’ politico-business models.
I certainly understand how statewide or municipal news pieces that would focus on their politico-business models and their track records could benefit (or harm) them greatly.
in the short term political officials like booker benefit from the lack of substantive coverage. again newark has a LOT of issues, and the more people focus on booker’s style, the less they focus on those issues.
but in the long term that gets tired quick. after a while, unless there are substantive victories, people like booker give way to the Next Big Thing. leaving cities like newark no better than they were before.