On election night, out of the country, CNN the only English media. As a non-cable viewer, my view:

[LuckyLib]

We don't have cable TV at home. I'm viewing this as a cultural outsider -- who has only a vague sense of CNN seeing it only when on business in hotels. FAUX I know to be trash, and I knew CNN was declining. But here's my assessment of election night coverage when it was the only game in town:

* all the women look alike, (are named Savannah, Tammy, Erin, etc.) but have different hair color. Except for Candy Crowley who seemed to know something because she had been with the Obama campaign from the beginning.

* Anderson Cooper (or is it Cooper Anderson) has descended into the seventh circle of hell in TV journalism. He talks too fast, is a smart ass, and seems to have to herd cats to keep all the flying parts of CNN in the air.

* inane comments, "Back to you and those emerald eyes, Tonya!" -- holy shit! This is news?

* the panels were composed of people who constantly interrupted each other. The talking over was excessive. David Gergen, who actually usually had something interesting to say, was overshadowed by the blabbermouths around him.

* An actual news program entitled "No Bias, No Bull" -- (I think that's what it was.) Good grief! Can't we assume that your news is straightforward? Obviously not!

* the continual "Up Next" notices for information that didn't appear was confusing. The same story would be "up nexted" at least 5 times before it actually appeared.

* the lack of real political insight was distressing. They were waiting on vote totals and simply had to buy time while doing so.

I'm convinced that Americans are anesthetized by the cable network news programs. Flash graphics, trash talk, "conversational" talk style, and drivel. A friend who was with me, was amused at my outrage. I told her -- you see it all the time . . . you no longer even recognize it! It's drivel!

[soothsayer]

1. Yup! Your observations are spot on.