Come On, Her RFK Gaffe's Not So Bad

Why have reporters turned Hillary Clinton's RFK flub into a huge story? To generate online hits with more political gossip, John Harris writes in Politico. Sure, it's hot news to hear about, but if you watch the remark on video, it's "deflating," Harris writes—it's just a calm, analytical statement made deep into a 20-minute conversation.

In another age, newspapers and networks analyzed real issues before a captive audience. But the web has wired them for speed, and now bloggers set the tone. Worse, the "uproar du jour mentality" means politicians are not held accountable because they know "that the pack will soon move on." (More online newspapers stories.)