Today, on CNN, Candy Crowley had Rep. John Fleming (R-LA) and Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel on to talk about the effects of Obamacare; both are physicians. However, it was soon obvious that the two were not to agree on anything. But, what made their conversation regress to the malodor of current day politics was that Fleming, who may have felt he was loosing the argument, began attacking Emanuel’s profession, his character and role in life.
To Emanuel’s credit he did not go down this path. Rather, Fleming was the bully. In addition, Fleming sounded like a bully who could not defend his position with data, logic and common sense. In the eyes of many Americans, the media is right behind the politicians as we are so disappointed and frustrated with this profession as well.
With a keen awareness of what was happening, the meanness of partisanship, Ms. Crowley could have interjected a comment or asked why Fleming was attacking Emanuel as a person and not just his ideas or opinion. Nonetheless, she did not. Instead, she asked scripted questions, but not the questions of frustrated Americans.
Our politicians continue to be disappointing with the media right there with them. They want their moment of rightness regardless of the consequences .
This all points to the need that it is the home, community and state where we need to make it happen. Keep politics local and let’s disregard the behavior of our national leaders and the media as they continue to demonstrate their bad behavior. Hopefully, we will have the opportunity to clean the slate of all present national leaders in the upcoming months.
Matt Masiello, M.D., MPH 