The Eric Massa story predictably and mercifully has gone. Even Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh understood when Massaâ??s auditions were over, and they cut him loose. But our intrepid media folks always are on the hunt for something â??new,â? something â??hotâ? to fill their space.
Recently, the ABC evening news offered us the ultimately silly and misplaced story of Chief Justice John Robertsâ?? remarks about President Barack Obamaâ??s criticism of his courtâ??s recent ruling, which held that corporate campaign contributions fell under â??free speech,â? and could not be regulated. Once again, historical memory is sacrificed to the interests of a â??good storyâ?; we have what historian Daniel Boorstin described as a â??pseudo event.â?
Stanley Kutler is a UW-Madison professor emeritus of history