In print | September 25, 2008

*To the editor: *

Sarah Palin’s appearance on the covers of magazines and newspapers worldwide is a disturbing trend that distracts from the real issues in this election cycle. Sadly, even the Phoenix is not immune to this sensationalistic digression. The cult of celebrity in politics distracts from the serious issues being discussed in campaigns at all levels, from climate change to student loans. Our State Rep. Bryan Lentz is running a re-election campaign focusing on his record of pushing for wind power research funding in Pennsylvania’s universities. Just a few miles south of Swarthmore, former United Auto Workers Local 1069 President John DeFrancisco is running for the state house to continue his career of fighting for labor rights. Barack Obama has focused more on helping students pay for college than any other presidential candidate in our lifetime. By focusing on substantive issues, these candidates involve citizens in the democratic discourse. Granted, the question of how either presidential candidate’s V.P. pick reflects on his judgment is fair game for coverage, but focusing on a Vice Presidential candidate’s pregnant teenage daughter, as did the cover of the September 11th issue of the Phoenix, distracts from real issues. The Sarah Palin story is dramatic and glamorous to cover, but we need a media that doesn’t hype up celebrity gossip and instead focuses on issues that have the potential to affect our lives.

Dan Leigh ’09
Charlie Decker ’09

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