Imagine that

Gallup: "U.S. distrust in media hits new high"

Americans' distrust in the media hit a new high this year, with 60% saying they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly. Distrust is up from the past few years, when Americans were already more negative about the media than they had been in years prior to 2004.

Funny thing: although we all know the media is totally fair and objective, Republicans and independents don't see it that way.  Democrats, on the other hand, think they're doing a great job.

I'm more convinced than ever that the media's intention to protect Obama at all costs is leading to a Presidential cocooning that will explode during the debates.  He hasn't had a press conference since March, he's been meeting with hard-hitting magazines like Entertainment Weekly, making appearances on "The View" and Letterman, and avoiding the White House press corps like the plague.  For the first time in a long while, Obama faced an interviewer at Univision (of all outlets) who wouldn't accept Obama's pre-programmed straw-man responses.

We see what happens when Obama's asked some difficult questions: He screws up. The reason we don't see this often is not that he is a cognitive high evolutionary; it's because he's never asked difficult questions. Questions about wedge issues. With follow-ups. With contradictions.

Obama has been either lying or vague on the campaign trail with nobody to press the issue.  Today he told the AARP that he'll protect Medicare by "keeping costs down" but there were no details and nary a journalist in sight will note that the only remedy he's ever proposed to meet this goal is an unelected board whose only power is to cut reimbursement rates to medical providers.  Both Obama (and Bill Clinton) keep insisting that $716 billion in Medicare cuts won't affect benefits but good luck finding a doctor who will accept Medicare reimbursement rates reduced to the same level as Medicaid.  Plus, there's the magic accounting of money taken from Medicare will both extend the program and pay for Obamacare.

When has Obama been confronted to explain these issues in detail by the mainstream media?  Oh, I know, he's asked about them and then he starts his five-minute filibuster and nobody dares to interrupt the President.  But on that debate stage there's going to be a flashing light and somebody (one can hope) that will challenge Obama to defend his record with non-lies.