American Public Looks At Politics example essay topic

In todays society the media usually dictates the way that we view public figures. These figures include anyone who is in the public eye whether it between musicians, actors, athletes or politicians. Politicians spend much of their time in the spotlight due to the fact that their public exposure, or over-exposure, is usually what is responsible for their current position in the political scheme. Tabloids are part of our American popular culture. Whether we are on line at the supermarket, in a pharmacy, or department store, these outrageous scandals, which are uncovered by the press everyday, are staring us in the face. These papers make their profits by publishing the stories which are not fit to print in the accredited papers as well as the gossip which is not yet confirmed.

The political world is very much affected by this form of press. If someone had a choice of a story which highlighted Clintons foreign policy or a story which outlined the Presidents sexual escapades, which one do you think that they would choose We all know that scandals draw a lot more attention than almost any form of media by playing on the public appetite for controversy. There are three major tabloids in print which are widely read, the Star, the National Enquirer and Weekly World News. All three of these magazines have featured stories that represent the president in a questionable light and put pressure on him for answers to many accused scandals. Over the years the tabloids have brought out the worst part of American politics. They have shown the side of politicians that you are not supposed to see, the skeletons that they hide in their closets.

These scandal sheets have uncovered things that the public would have never found out. On the other hand, if yo catch them on an off day, they might actually print emotional stories which show a good perspective on the politician. However, most of the stories that are run within the tabloids happen to be stories of deceit that happen to show how that public official is a liar or a cheat. One of the most popular tabloid stories in the past couple of years is about Monica Lewinsky, who had an affair with our President, within the oval office.

All in all this was a big blow to the president seeing that he was under scrutiny with the American public for quite sometime. However, the media did not tarnish the image of Ms. Lewinsky to badly: she is making more money now than she was as a White House intern. In the September 26, 2000 issue of the National Enquirer, Monica speaks out concerning the whole situation as well as revealing that she will be hosting her own shown on a British television station named Post Cards with Monica. An article appeared in the November 16, 1998, edition of The Polling Report.

The article, which was written by Richard A. Brody, featured important data that shows the affects that the tabloids do have on the political scheme. Brody reported that the September 13, 1998 Washington Post / ABC News Poll found that 77% of the public rejected the notion that the President had "high personal and ethical standards. This is one way to look at the whole situation. Yes, indeed the whole Clinton scandal did have a large affect on the way that the American public viewed Clintons morals, but Brody found something even more interesting. In another Washington Post / ABC poll found that after the scandal the percentage of people who thought that President Clinton looked out for and understood their problems raised from 54.9% to 58.9%.

So in fact the scandal did not really have that much of an affect on people thoughts on his leadership qualities. Although, not all of the stories within the tabloids are damaging towards the president. Hillary Clinton, the presidents wife, has also been a popular topic in the tabloids. In the October 16, 2000 edition of the National Enquirer, Hillary is quoted bad mouthing the Vice-President wife, Tipper Gore. She was quoted to say that Tipper was a moron and that she is intellectually inferior.

Tipper has nothing good to say about Mrs. Clinton as well. The most popular subject with Mrs. Gore would of course be President Clintons numerous sexual infidelities as well as the accusations of affairs by Mrs. Clinton. Mrs. Clinton has had to deal with a lot of ridicule from the media when it comes to her husband. Along with the public bad-mouthing from Tipper, Kathie Lee Gifford put her thoughts in when it came to the presidents escapades. But, she did not say what you think she did. She gave Mrs. Clinton nothing but support in these trash sheets.

In the October 26, 2000 edition of the National Enquirer, Gifford states, (Hillary) dealt with it the right way - privately. Her own way. This is what you do not often see in many tabloids, positive reinforcement for politicians and their spouses. Not only are the actual politicians and their spouses put under public scrutiny by these papers, but their children are placed in the spotlight as well.

Gores daughter was ridiculed in the September 9, 2000 issue of the National Enquirer for her wild past while in high school and college. Former classmates at National Cathedral School in Washington, D.C., recalled how Karenina was often at the center of pot-smoking and drinking gatherings. Seeing the ridicule that these articles posted about Ms. Gore it seemed out of line that in the paragraphs to follow they praise her decision to get married to a successful doctor as well as her knack for the political world. In the American Journal Review for the week of November 28, 2000 the tabloids were torn apart by one of the staff writers, Darkie Lunsford.

She noted their negative affect on the way that the American public looks at politics. Ms. Lunsford is not the only writer who would note the affects that tabloids have on the American publics view of political office. Howard Kurtz, a staff writer for the Washington Post, also wrote of his disapproval of the ways that tabloids seem to portray politicians. His article outlined how politicians try to keep in line so that the tabloids will not rip them apart on a public stage.

Seeing that people usually vote on name recognition, the tabloids have a large affect as part of the media. Most people, while standing in line, will draw their own conclusions solely based on the headlines. To understand the full affect that tabloids have on public opinion, we must first understand the affects that media truly has on America. America is controlled mainly by the media and our opinions. Our viewpoints are more likely parallel to the opinions of the media than anything else.

Media plays a very important part in our society. Since the majority of the American people don't fully research issues, they rely heavily on the media to bring them the story, however different sources of media are important if one wants to excel and become knowledgeable on critical issues. It is the media that controls the nation, it is the media that selects the agenda, it is the media that helps to educate, inform, and sensationalize. It can safely be said that politics is a type of a theatrical performance. In our modern world winning an election is based on image and performer, the best performer usually wins. Some people are not interested in news and politics because they have difficulty watching and understanding this political movie.

The political movie takes place within the media, on television, the radio and in print. Media's job is to inform. We are not against the tabloids quest for profit, but it is our opinion that when the media, the informer, promotes untrue stories to catch ratings, it can be seen as dishonest. What is the point of having a teacher who is interested in making money and forgetting about the most important thing, which is to educate the children In a nation that is so dependent on the media, it must be their duty to properly supply us with correct information.

We are not alone on this argument. The restriction of such tabloid press is exemplified in various countries. For example thousands of stores across Canada have pulled copies of The Enquirer off their shelves after uncouth stories were published of Princess Dian as elicit love affairs so soon after her death. Going one step further, in Iran there was a temporary ban placed on six of the countries major tabloids. These examples have shown that the undignified press found in such tabloids will not be tolerated in other countries, proving that many people feel the negative affects such magazines have on public opinion.

In conclusion, the effects that tabloids have on the American public are those which prove to be very hazardous, especially in the political scheme of today. It is the position of the print media, and media as a whole, to mirror the images of society as well as the actions of our political leaders (whether private or public). When filling its public duty to inform the individual, tabloids often overstep their bounds by deceitfully providing false information playing on the tacit position of many Americans. Papers, such as The Enquirer, have a negative affect on public opinion by frequently filling their articles with falsities, smut, and scandal tarnishing the reputation of many of our political leaders.