Tubed Politics

Leo Zuckermann came away impressed with the made-for-TV spectacle that was the Democratic nominating convention. He compares Mexico's post-electoral reform political climate unfavorably with what he saw in Denver.

[The power televised politics] is something many politicians in Mexico haven't understood. Instead of accepting this media-related reality, they deny it. Instead of working under this premise, they want to change it, as if it could be erased by decree. Absurdly, they wish to return to the eras where TV didn't exist. They enact ridiculous regulations to "dignify politics." As if it was TV's fault and not that of the public that's on the other side of the machine. In Mexico, it would seem that the politicians want politics to be basically boring. And the only thing they will achieve will be that the people see it as such and keep away from it.