What the media really care about in the Clinton Interview Controversy. ,

Unless you lived in a cave or outside America, you have probably heard of Clinton’s interview on Fox News Sunday hosted by Chris Wallace - when the former president set the record straight on his efforts to combat terrorism, the Bush administration’s record and the tactics of Fox News.

Beyond the controversy, Jon Stewart makes a great point on the Daily Show on how serious mainstream media decided to ignore the substantive discussion of terrorism and instead focused on trivial matters such as “the angry Clinton”.

Watch it (here or here via Crooks-and-liars), it is quite informative on how today’s media work, and it is also quite funny, as always with Jon S..

Here (via Think Progress) is another good illustration of pretty much the same point – this time, it is MSNBC that decided to focus on the fact that former President Bill Clinton’s sock had slipped and part of his “white” leg was showing during his interview with Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace.

HOST: Well, people haven’t just been talking about Bill Clinton’s red face in that Fox News interview and all the anger and the finger pointing, but some have been focusing on Clinton’s white legs. The former president showing off a little leg during the sitdown with Chris Wallace. We’re going to show you that, and that’s left some — see, there it is, a little glimpse of leg. Well, how does this happen? … I mean — is this a travesty or what?

[SNIP]

RON CHRISTIE: Yes, I do have longer socks on. And the fact of the matter is —

HOST: How high do they come? To your calf or knee?

CHRISTIE: They’re almost up to the knee. You don’t have to worry about any leg showing here.

HOST: Very good. Because I prefer modesty in all of my interviewees.

CHRISTIE: Exactly.

HOST: Julian Epstein, Ron Christie, that was fun.

CHRISTIE: Thanks.

HOST: If I had been doing that interview, I’ve got to say, I would just say, “Oh, Mr. president, your leg is showing,” or it’s sort of like telling someone they have spinach in their teeth. Come on, it’s not cool to let someone go around with spinach in their teeth, same thing with leg.

Does anybody give a damn?! Believe it or not, that’s how bad mainstream media can get.