The Media-Go-Round Stops

If politicians really cared about the media's role in our democracy, they'd mandate a never-ending election season. This year has been very kind to the media. Record Internet traffic! Record TV ratings! Record magazine sales at the newsstand! Hillary Clinton's, Barack Obama's, John McCain's, and Sarah Palin's mere existences have essentially bailed out the electronic-media industry. On Nov. 5, that handout expires. The media's election bubble is about to pop.