Cynthia McKinney, Our Media, and the Politics of Elitism

By Tolu Olorunda

With the poor and subpar political coverage presented by our “ever-dependable” media, the name Cynthia McKinney would resonate more as a one-time senator, and less as a present, vibrant and relentless 2008 presidential candidate.

Cynthia McKinney began her political journey in 1986 as a Georgia House of Representative hopeful, but was unable to muster a majority vote for election. Fortunately in 1988, with the same fire and fury, McKinney garnered a victory in that year’s House of Representative race. As the saying goes, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”, and this proved to be especially valid for the young woman, who was fathered by a beloved Georgia State legislator, Billy McKinney. Billy McKinney is a once Georgia House of Representative member who has acquired many honors as a result of his service, one of which is a personal Highway in Northwest Atlanta, named after him. 

Cynthia McKinney grew as a respected and venerated politician, but didn’t fail to assemble a few adversaries as her fame increased. One would think that the controversial encumbrances that incessantly engulfed the majority of Cynthia McKinney’s political life would yield her “press-time/coverage/spotlight”, but not even such “rating-boosters” was persuasive enough, to divert “our” media’s attention from the romantic-relationship they have devoutly nurtured with a group known as: The Elites.

The Elites are an intricate part of American and frankly Universal Politics, and our negligence to challenge, in spite of their malnourishment has left us politically bankrupt.  Limiting or diminishing political candidates, to the more popular and trendy choices, is in no way profitable to the citizenry or voter-base. It comes as no surprise that from the get-go, a Dennis Kucinich or Chris Dodd, can be over-looked unapologetically by the mainstream-media, and as a result forfeit any serious chance at election. Assuredly, the only media outlet encouraging novelty, is the all too forgotten industry of “Independent Journalism” which has fought vehemently to hard-wire assortment into the political sphere and eliminate mundanity from it. 

As the political-clock winds down, we are left with miniature but enough time to re-educate ourselves about all the candidates and their policies. We can no longer subscribe or submit to the mainstream-media’s attenuated version of political coverage. We must harness the power of the internet and become independent thinkers through diligent, responsible and keen analysis of this historical and crucial presidential political race.

Peace!