Spinning the Spinmeisters

We live in a world of spin. From the talking heads on cable news shows, to public relations practitioners, everyone is verbally and visually trying to put one over on somebody else. Or on over millions of people.

Since the public relations business was introduced to a mass audience in the early 20th century, it has evolved considerably. In the United States, that started out as protecting business interests.

Not surprisingly, the news media quickly picked up on the idea that they were being spun with misleading if not false information. With the popularity of radio and then the advent of TV news by the middle of the century, spinning became more widespread.

Today, spinning is rampant. Spinning takes place 24/7 on the popular cable networks of Fox News, CNN and MSNBC.

And it has evolved, thanks to the all-important presidential campaigns. For at least the last seven presidential elections, “Spin Rooms” are set up immediately after each debate so that candidates and their handlers can spin the news media and what they saw as the candidates’ strong points during the debate.

In fact, I was a volunteer at the October, 1996, debate in Hartford, Conn., between Bill Clinton and his challenger Bob Dole. A Spin Room there was in full force, and was the hot spot of the debate, second only to the media center.

And in a breakthrough New York Times story in December, 2019, the newspaper reported that even Joe Biden has been spinning his own campaign. On the spot. At campaign rallies, fundraisers and in media interviews, he cites poll numbers and his own electability in swing states.

Which proves, once again, that you can teach an old dog new tricks.