Why are we trivializ…

Why are we trivializing Saddam Hussein? I’m watching “Anderson Cooper 360” on CNN here at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (yet another client trip…wish H-J had all-over wireless access), and they’re doing a story on Saddam Hussein’s life in prison, especially his conversation with two guys who’ve been guarding him. Among the topics covered; his choice of snack foods (Cheetos and Doritos), his choice of breakfast cereals (hates Fruit Loops, likes Raisin Bran Crunch), his obsession with cleanliness, his advice to the guards about women, and other assorted bits of inane trivia.

To what end? What’s the purpose of this story? I’m appreciative of anyone who has to guard this guy, but who cares what he like to crunch on between meals? This trivializes a murderous dictator. Is that the job of the news media; to turn one of the world’s worst madmen into a contestant on “Average Joe” or some sort of celebrity? That’s patently foolish.

Ever luvin’. Now Paula Zahn is giving this topic a whole segment on her show. She seems more concerned that the code name used for Saddam Hussein might be demeaning than anything he might have done as dictator of Iraq. (Of course, then she goes on to refer to him as “The Butcher of Baghdad”. Demeaning but perfectly accurate. Anything wrong with that?) There is some interesting information about what Hussein said to these guys (he likes Clinton, and is willing to forgive the Bushes), but all of it is just trying to make this guy look like your nextdoor neighbor. A full 8-minute segment of this is truly amazing to me. Can we get as much time for all the good news coming out of Iraq, instead of this pointless trivia?

Nope, no time. In a supposedly unrelated bit of news, support for the Iraq war is down. If those folks are watching CNN trivialize Saddam Hussein, is it any wonder?

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