Contrived Displacement Story Of The Day

By Marc Ambinder
Meaning -- political controversies manufactured by the elite that serve only the interests of politicians and interest groups; that displace insecurities of their respective political bases; that fill hours of cable television; that matter, in the end, not a whit. The outrage is generally, though not always, contrived. One sure sign: when the words "refused to condemn" appear in the lead sentence of a press release. Today: The Frost Family. Just to keep a running tally for the month: Democrats on Boehner on the war's cost Democrats on Limbaugh on "phony troops" Republicans on "MoveOn"'s Petreaus Ad Republicans on Ahmadinejad Other submissions and nominations?

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http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2007/10/contrived-displacement-story-of-the-day/50645/