I just turned on TiVo to watch today’s Ellen deGeneres Show, only to find an NBC Special Report: coverage of today’s campaign commercial by President Bush — his “anniversary” speech at the White House. Why this was worthy of pre-empting regular programming I’ll never know, especially considering all the barking from the right about the “liberal” media. Liberal my ASS. A political speech is hardly breaking news. Looks like the administration once again has orchestrated the media into broadcasting their message loud and clear.
As if interrupting my television viewing wasn’t enough, let me tell you about my commute home today. As I entered Rock Creek Park (the large park that runs north-south through Washington, DC), I noticed a phalanx of police in the picnic area. Then there were more in the next picnic area. I thought to myself, they must be setting up speed traps — good. Too many speeders here.
Then there were more police. Then more. By the time I had gone 5 miles, cars with flashing lights were entering the feeder streets and blocking them. Shit, I thought. There might be some kind of terror attack or something. Eventually, about 7 miles down the road, they finally blocked my path and diverted me off to a side road… which took me ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHERE I STARTED.
A little research via mobile phone and I discovered that a motorcade of some foreign leader was coming through. Hell, it wasn’t even one of OUR officials. You’d think they could have let me continue on through the park, sending me all the way back seems pretty stupid, and made me start my commute a second time using a much longer route.
And I also discovered that local traffic reports deliberately do not report on motorcades — one can only assume that’s for security reasons. But it seems silly, since by the time a motorcade is underway and roads are closed, what’s the problem with reporting it? The police have already secured it!
I bet this sort of thing doesn’t happen in other towns. If you live here, it’s a fact of life.
