In the corporate media zone (you cannot really call it 'The News' anymore) the big item is Hillary's record fundraising for President. The Senator and her former president husband have garnered $26 million in contributions to her campaign. If you needed more indication that she represents the corporate plutocracy, you have it now. She is mired at 30% in the opinion polls, but that doesn't stop her rich "friends of Bill" from forking over the cash in great wads. Most of the money will be spent on media buys to convince you she is "Baberaham Lincoln". Not. The Senator does not have a substantial public record, except for voting for war on Iraq and making bankruptcy relief more difficult to obtain. Her hubby is a talented politician, but objectively the record of his administration is mixed at best. His major domestic initiative spearheaded by the Senator--universal health care--was a failure, his major economic policy--NAFTA--has exported thousands of high paying manufacturing jobs overseas, and the foreign intervention in Somalia while ignoring genocide in Rwanda, was an embarrassment. He did balance the federal budget and compared to what we have now, he is a genius.
The old saw is nothing succeeds like success, but for the good of their democracy Americans have to stop being enamored with money and its charisma. Presidential politics has turned into a contest to see which candidate can buy the most mass media and very little else. If we do not establish a more rational and neutral forum for political debate we will end up with a government worse than a legally imposed regime running the country. Here is one idea: PBS could be required to air a weekly series of free debates for each major party prior to the start of the primaries.
Check out Jib Jab for a good giggle about what used to be called 'The News'.