What Our Politicians and Media Owe Us in a Functioning Democracy

 

In exactly a year, Californians will vote for their next governor. Here is the full interview set from CBS that includes a disastrous performance by candidate (and former Congresswoman) Katie Porter. You may have seen her portion but please do nerd out on how the others fielded the same questions. 

But all the attention about this footage has been given to Congresswoman Porter’s meltdown. I won’t add to the pile-on by criticizing her specific answers, attitude, and body language. I do think the clips speak to a broader concern I have about modern politics, two related ones really, which is one that politicians have to deliver and not just perform, and two that the media plays an important accountability role to draw out, challenge, and clarify politicians’ positions. 

To start, I acknowledge that politics is in fact performative. Sure, elected officials do important things like pass laws and set policy and allocate resources. But they do so from a place of optics and messaging and human connection, all of which requires performing in a way that gets people to trust you, like you, agree with you. 

However, this fact can be taken to an extreme. One can’t simply say they’re a leader and do their best to act like a leader on camera. One must also be a leader, including when the bright lights are on and including behind the scenes and everything in between. “Integrity” gets thrown around so much that who knows what we’re talking about when we use the term. To me it’s that your words and actions are internally consistent to each other, and that they are consistent with a standard of excellence and morality that all of us can be comfortable with and proud of. And most Americans understand the difference between performing to that standard and just plain performing. One is leading, and the other is play-acting. 

For all the tsk-tsking about the confrontational tone politicians and the media have fostered, that’s not far from the tone it should be in a functioning democracy. Media don’t exist to fawn over or cover for politicians, so when they do shame on both the media and the politicians. And when media members come with the hard questions, how politicians respond is an accurate litmus test of their readiness to lead in the crucible of modern politics. Are they confrontational back, deflecting reasonable interrogation with personal attacks and back talk? Are they incredulous that someone would dare ask for clarification or offer an opposing perspective? Or are they civil, respectful, yet firm about their positions? Seems like a good way to find out who we should vote for, which means it is imperative that media play this role and not fall short. 

Honestly, Congresswoman Porter’s clip was really painful to watch. I sure hope more politicians can step up and handle the heat, and I absolutely beg of the media to keep throwing the heat. Our democratic experiment hinges on this very thing.