Somewhere Edward R. Murrow is spinning in his grave

This is what our so-called "news media" have become:

Brides gotta run, planes gotta stray, and cable news networks gotta find a way to fill a lot of programming hours as cheaply as possible. (CNBC gets to talk about the booming April retail sales numbers, and the NRA's television network will replay the Secretary of State on Larry King over and over.)

We say with all the genuine apolitical and non-partisan human concern that we can muster that the death and carnage in Iraq is truly staggering.

And/but we are sort of resigned to the Notion that it simply isn't going to break through to American news organizations, or, for the most part, Americans.

Democrats are so thoroughly spooked by John Kerry's loss —- and Republicans so inspired by their stay-the-course Commander in Chief —- that what is hands down the biggest story every day in the world will get almost no coverage. No conflict at home=no coverage.

Instead, think of the Bolton confirmation hearing, the Ways and Means Social Security kickoff hearing, and the evening tribute dinner for Tom DeLay (and the conservative movement) as classic Beltway set pieces, complete with (semi-)compelling casts of characters, dramatic arcs, conflicts galore, and pure unadulterated entertainment.

"Entertainment," that is, if you think, say, that debating "Resolved: Elizabeth Dole is having a better recruiting cycle to date than Chuck Schumer" is compelling.

Now, if this article had originated with Josh Marshall, or Kos, or Steve Gilliard, or even Skippy the Bush Kangaroo (who was utilized beautifully in a funny, sad, and horrifying sketch on blogs on The Daily Show the other night), it wouldn't be a surprise.

What's horrifying is that this is from ABC's The Note -- the online site for ABC's politics news.

I don't know about you, but there are more than 400 dead in Iraq in the last two weeks, and one of the three major U.S. television/media networks is coming right out and saying that they aren't going to cover war incidents because they're not "sexy" enough.

Meanwhile, every day, more families with loved ones fighting in Iraq finding the uniformed visitor they dread at the front door...and no one here even cares anymore, as long as we can talk about Jennifer Wilbanks' fiancee's chastity around the watercooler.

UPDATE: David Sirota is apoplectic about this.

Meanwhile, at least 21 Iraqis were killed and more than 70 wounded in a car bombing in Iraq today*, but who cares? Rob 'n' Amber didn't win The Amazing Race on Tuesday; the breast-fed tiger cubs died, the L.A. cops are playing Death Race 2000 with real people, and hey, there's always still the Michael Jackson trial going on...

*I wonder how much farther we have to go before C-Plus Caligula's misguided adventures kills more Iraqi civilians than Saddam Hussein ever did?