Until recently, living in Obamaland was akin to living in Fantasyland. It did not matter what happened on a given day in Obamaland. You were pretty much assured that the sun would be shining and the birds would be singing when the morning paper came the next day no matter what happened. The mainstream media made sure of that. Obama and his minions could do no wrong. Life would be perfect if not for the obstructionist, obstreperous, obnoxious Republicans.
Over the last month I have begun to see the earth starting to move under Obamaland. The White House press corps is starting to press Press Secretary Jay Carney harder in his briefings. Democrats in Congress are starting to put some distance between themselves and The White House. More people appear to be willing to discuss intimidating tactics that would seem more likely to occur in Moscow than in Washington.
The Benghazi whistleblowers were the first to make the earth move a little under Obamaland. I believe that there is much more to this story but it still seems to be an issue that is unlikely to gain any traction with the press or the public.
The largest unanswered question in my mind is what Obama was doing that night that was more important than monitoring what was going in Libya? Was he packing for his fundraiser in Las Vegas the next day? Did he have a scheduled golf lesson? Was he watching a movie in the White House theatre with a couple of his Hollywood cronies? I don't understand why this question has not been pursued more aggressively by the press considering four Americans lost their lives in a terrorist attack that night. The press doesn't seem to want to pursue the issue and the public seems to think it is more about politics than anything else.
The two issues that could really rock Obamaland are the IRS scandal and the AP/James Rosen scandal which have the common theme of using government powers to intimidate and silence critics, whistleblowers and freedom of the press. I believe these issues seem to show calculated efforts to silence dissent and disclosure. It should give everyone in our republic some pause.
The big question is whether the mainstream media will respond and assume the role that our Founding Fathers envisioned for them.
Like it or not, the media provides the oxygen that allows a scandal to burn into the public eye. Fires don't burn without oxygen. Stories don't become scandals without the media giving it airtime.
Are we going to see some air on these issues?
Political interference of any kind with the workings of the Internal Revenue Service should bring fear to almost any American. Interference and intimidation with the workings of a free press should as well. The IRS and freedom of the press are hot button issues. This is not Benghazi. These are issues that any American can understand. How can the press sit by and stay silent?
Noah Rothman of Mediaite.com thinks that the media will respond much to the White House's chagrin.
The White House has greatly underestimated the press and their reverence for the sacred function they perform in a healthy democracy. The political media’s admiration for the president, someone who largely shares their philosophy and pedigree, is a pale shadow in comparison to the esteem with which they hold their own institution.
A storm is coming for the Obama administration. There is no stronger animosity than the one born of spurned affection. Now legitimately mistreated and aggrieved, the press is coming for this White House.
I am not going to make any predictions. Obamaland long ago proved too confusing for me to understand. One thing I do know is that there are no scandals without that media oxygen. Another thing I know is that there is no scarcity of material for the press if they want to start exercising the role they are supposed to play in a democratic republic.
If you have any doubts, click here to see a full-sized Obama Scandal Bracket that was created by Jon Gabriel at Ricochet.com.
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