What Do You Know? By: Mark W Adams

You now know, as I have been informed, informed for reasons I simply do not understand, that Paris Hilton was strip-searched. Not only was this one of the important data points we learned when she was on Larry King for the full hour, but that fact was snipped and broadcast around most other media outlets.

You also know, for even less cogent reasons, that Ann Coulter's latest polemic is out in paperback because she was booked on countless "news" programs to promote it and then got in a hissy fit when confronted by one of her victims, Elizabeth Edwards, on MSNBC's Hardball. That altercation was in turn an irresistible "news" item spread far and wide. If you missed it, you've been purposely avoiding the media in any form. Thank goodness Ann was able to spare a whole hour out of her busy schedule to sit on a low rated news show and bless us with her grace and intellect -- so she could sell more books.

You probably did NOT know there was a Presidential Forum/Debate last night shown live on PBS. It's even less likely that you watched it -- statistically that is. Don't expect there to be much mention of this on the TV or Radio. The debate was professional, cordial and informative even if the 90 minute event still seemed rushed with so many candidates with so much to say. But since Dennis Kucinich didn't fling poo at Bill Richardson, it will go largely unreported, especially in the broadcast sphere. (Okay, CBS did mention it, taking their copy from the Political Animal blog, and CNN had some post debate interviews.)

Indeed, you have to look real hard on the nations front pages to find even a one inch blurb about the event, and event designed to help us pick the next leader of the free world -- a person with more power than any seven Caesars combined.

The Seattle Times managed to fit in such a blurb pointing to a story on page A-6. The Washington Post devoted half the side panel to the debate with three full paragraphs and an above-the-fold headline, plus a roundup on their blog -- but when you think about it, for them it was a local story. That's pretty much it for front page coverage and only scant mention can be found between the covers of the nation's newpapers.

The New York Times deemed the debate unworthy of mention on their front page, but did put it prominently on their blog -- knowing us real junkies want the Gray Lady's take on the event. Interestingly enough, the story by the NYTimes' Adam Nagourney is featured more prominently in the San Fransisco Chronicle than the paper that pays him -- but both papers buried the article. Probably for the best since, as Bob Somerby reminds yesterday while critiquing another recent Ad Nags missive: "The degree of incompetence Nagourney displayed almost defies comprehension."

So I'm curious, as the internet savvy, political junkie that your are (you must be if you're reading this blog since it's only three pages from the last page of the internet itself), did you know about the debate before it occurred?

Did you watch it? Did you know about it before you read this post?

Did you know that Paris Hilton got new hair extensions?