RNN - Rational News Network

Have you ever been watching the news or reading a newspaper and heard or seen something so ridiculous and absurd that you started yelling at the TV or calling your spouse into the room to read it to him/her? Well, lately, I have been doing that a LOT! So instead of yelling at the TV or an empty room, I figure I will write down my “rantings”. This way I can get it out of my system without Sadie, my golden retriever, feeling it necessary to go hide in the tub.

I understand that some reading these posts will not agree with my thoughts and opinions. Differing opinions are great as long as they are expressed in a rational and calm manner. Comment if you will, but please keep it clean…my Mother-in-Law might be reading…

RNN – Rational News Network.

I have a friend, Bryony, whom I love dearly. She has very definite ideas of how things should be in this world, and when we talk, she espouses about how it will be in “Bryonyland.” I have always told her I would be happy to be her second in command in Bryonyland.

I have given some thought to how things would be in Tracieland. One thing I will insist on is a news network that actually reports news. I think CNN Headline News started out this way, but it has degenerated into headlines, entertainment, sports, and the ever-popular opinion journalism.

I am so tired of all the screaming, shouting, and talking over each other. One side believes that if they say something over and over again it becomes true. It doesn’t matter that there is no basis in fact. Just say it again and again, and people will believe it, and if people believe it then it must be true. Shout it over a differing thought, and it must be valid. Right now several issues are getting this treatment. 1. “We can’t win in Afghanistan.” 2. The people want a public option for health care. 3. Sarah Palin is an airheaded bimbo. On the other side they often imagine “truths”, whip up fear for something they haven’t investigated, and then end up with egg on their faces for getting wrapped around the axel about the wrong details. One recent case in point is the President’s speech to school children.

I have a solution in Tracieland. My vision is a new network…RNN or the Rational News Network. The RNN will be comprised of serious reporters. Women who are reporters will be blond only if that is their natural hair color. They will wear glasses only if a prescription is required. All reporters will have degrees in journalism and will have been investigative reporters for some major print news outlet prior to being put on air at RNN. They will research and write their own copy. When one writes and reads his own words he will be darn sure to have the facts to back them up. They will not read the AP or Reuters feed. If the story isn’t original it won’t be reported.

RNN will be a national news network. It will not report on every 9 year old who steals his parents’ car and takes police on a wild chase through his neighborhood. We’ll let the local news outlets report those stories. If we do choose to report the story, we will run it once… not every hour for three days enabling the child to become a hero to his peers for being on TV. And we WILL NOT interview said child and his parents then make light of it. Unless a kidnapping or missing, young, pretty girl has national significance, we will leave that story to the local outlets, too. There are plenty of other outlets for stories like these to get national over exposure…Court TV, America’s Most Wanted, Nancy Grace. To be clear we will report national news.

Since there is also an insatiable need for people to agree with someone on issues, we will provide commentary at times. The reporters for these segments will each be rational, smart, thoughtful, well rounded, independent thinkers from all sides of the political spectrum. They will debate, civilly, and they will not debate speculation or imagined slights... just news.

For a conservative point of view, I would hire Karl Rove, Rich Galen, William Bennett, Condaleeza Rice, Dana Petrino, and Linda Chavez. As a special guest commentator on occasion, Newt Gingrich and/or Lynn Cheney. If you have ever listened to these people, whether you agree with their viewpoints or not, you know they are always thoughtful, rational and well informed. You can tell they are independent thinkers and leaders in the movement to which they subscribe. They are unflappable and diverse. I have many more names, but these should suffice.

For the progressive point of view (or liberal if you are old school like me), I don’t have as many names, because it is so hard to find rational, independent thinkers here. But the following are great minds. I would have Alan Colmes, Juan Williams, Anderson Cooper, Robert Reich, Harold Ford, Geraldine Ferraro, Maura Liasson, and I can’t think of one other rational liberal who doesn’t scream and talk over his adversaries. As a guest on this side, I think for sheer entertainment value, I might include Al Sharpton. He only seems to be contrary with Bill O'Reilly.

In the middle I would have Jennifer Griffin, Sarah Chayes (though in my heart I think she is likely truly a progressive), Britt Hume, Dick Morris, and Joe Lieberman.

Notice who I left off…

Bill O’Reilly – He's a self promoting, buffoon…not interested in news just promoting his book and Factor Gear

Sean Hannity- a great patriot but too emotional

Laura Ingraham- Won’t let anyone talk

Bob Beckle- spouts the talking points no matter what, no original thoughts, and very patronizing

Ann Coulter…another great mind, original, independent thinker (read one of her books), SMART, but too much. Too funny, too deep, too smart for people to understand and appreciate.

James Carville…this one is self explanatory...

Keith Olberman ... the definition of an idiot.

Lastly, there will be NO stories of celebrities. Celebrities are not newsmakers. I don’t care who is sleeping with whom….not news. If one of them dies, that’s news, but we will not report every detail of his or her life and death for days on end…not news. We will not speculate on causes of death. Guess what? Speculation is not news. And we especially don’t care what a celebrity thinks about world issues…absolutely, positively not news.

There you have it. RNN..Rational News Network. Who wants to sign up?