Over the last couple weeks, I've altogether avoided addressing the talk about the Swift Boat controversy and the recent book Unfit for Command (still a #1 best-seller last I checked) which raises legitimate concerns about John Kerry's war record, and all other issues in that vicinity. I've done this for two reasons. Number one, I just don't care. This is the type of major minutiae that drives me batty about presidential elections. I don't like John Kerry, I don't agree with what he stands for, I'm not voting for him and I don't care if he did or didn't have a self-inflicted wound, he's still not getting my vote.

My second, more pressing reason for not discussing the book is because well, everyone else was talking about it and I'm not prone to beating decomposing horses, so I take pictures of ugly cars and post them instead. However, the recent fall-out with Michelle Malkin and Chris Matthews over the shrapnel in John Kerry's leg has created in me an itch that I just need to scratch. This big media thing irks me to no end.

To start, purveyor of ubiquitous amounts of libcrap (however still a good source for hard to come by media) Oliver Willis (who has the nerve to call Malkin "Deposed Leader of the Coalition of the Insane" and trackback the post to her own blog) has supplied some lovely footage of the actual Malkin/Matthews exchange for those of us who didn't get the chance to view it. If you're like me and you can't stand Hardball, Chris Matthews, or any of the other endless non-productive banter that takes place on those types of shows, you probably didn't. I figured having actually seen the exchange is pretty important for proper analysis so I watched it.

Michelle Malkin has given a fairly extensive account of all that took place behind the scenes. Meanwhile, the Left has been busy slinging mud, discussing how "dumb" she was, posting captures of her interview and critiquing the "craziness" of her expressions calling her looks "ugly" and "hideous". It's all very childish if you ask me. And let's all be honest with ourselves, even Stevie Wonder can see that Mickey Malkin is drop-dead gorgeous.

So here's my take. Yes, Chris Matthews completely yanked the conversation and made Michelle to look foolish for merely discussing what was mentioned in the book (which apparently Matthews hadn't read). He was rude, interrupted, didn't allow her time to answer, and did the typical male-domineering, patronizing, I'm-the-host-you're-the-puny guest behavior that takes place in so many ambush interviews. My question is, why would anyone expect anything different? The nature of the interviews on these types of news shows is ratings driven if anything else. An event such as this hardly shocks me.

Although I prefer the slant of Fox news over anything else, I'm not above admitting that the stylings of Hannity & Colmes, Bill O'Reily (although he's a favorite), and the rest of their hair-dyed buddies often grate every last one of my nerves. I can probably count on one hand the number of productive, meaningful conversations that take place in those venues.

Instead you get (and I realize I'm making a blanket-statement here) testosterone-driven (unless Gloria Alrecht is a guest, in which case it's still testosterone-driven, it just wears perfume), puffed-up, high-falutin', arrogant and meaningless banter. It's about as appealing as liver and onions served on a trashcan lid. When I watch Fox news, I do so with my finger strategically placed on the mute button.

For what it's worth, I think women face a bigger challenge in that they have to wade through preconceptions and stereotypes in order to be respected by their interviewer. On her blog, Michelle mentioned prior comments Chris Matthews made about her being too young to be on the show. As an attractive young woman, I can imagine she's got countless stories about inappropriate behavior on behalf of Neanderthal (oh wait, I don't believe in evolution) counterparts.

Funny, the same thing that's required of you in the business is the same thing that hinders you. Beauty in journalism is a virtue and a vice. Take a look at the babes of Fox News. Funny stuff. Malkin's a veteran, she'll shake this off and be fine.

Other good, balanced recaps and analysis: Burning Bird (minor language warning at end), Late Final, Wizbang