Angela Poe Russell: Who’s responsible for ending political mudslinging?

The tactic of mudslinging during political campaigns goes back a few hundred years. It was inspired by a Latin phrase that means to throw dirt around and something will stick — Fortiter calumniari, aliquia adhaerebit.

And lately, in our political landscape, things are definitely dirtier. I think it’s time news publications and broadcast stations did something bold by choosing not to air any of it.

Now, before you claim censorship, hear me out.

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What we get to see, hear and read on social media, radio and TV is already filtered anyway by someone. If a candidate gives a one-hour speech, it’s a news reporter or producer who picks what to post, air or print. To see something in its entirety, you typically have to go fishing for it online.

And because shocking sound bites seem to get everyone’s attention, that is what most news outlets choose to air. This might be great for business and its bottom line — while being somewhat entertaining — but is it good for us? Not many of us have time to go watch an entire speech or to read every candidate’s platform.

So it begs the question: What are we losing when most of the soundbites and political coverage involve name-calling and political mudslinging? How is normalizing this impacting children? What are we not hearing or learning about the people seeking elected office? Even if a candidate did spend time talking about their policy and platform plans and aspirations, that doesn’t end up making it on the highlight reel. And isn’t that what should be featured?

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Additionally, if we stopped giving the name-calling so much oxygen, it might force candidates to come up with something better to get our attention. The question is: Are we ready for this? If we’re being honest, we are part of the problem. Craving the drama and the amusement to our own detriment. The truth is when we’re ready for the change, those filtering the content will need to follow.

Angela Poe Russell is a local media personality and a fill-in host on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of her stories here.

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