Political Communication blog

It's news because the public wants to know. It's really that simple. If people weren't reading stories like this, then they wouldn't receive coverage. Unlike printed news, editors can see how many people are reading articles online. As long as stories about the Obama pet and whatever else that falls below the threshold of hard news receives a lot of interest, articles like that will get published.

There are 300 million+ people in the U.S. We can't expect them all to have the same appetites.
 

People want to hear about this story because it was something Obama included in his speech right after he won the election. It makes him real and everyone, well almost everyone, loves a cute story every now and then. I do agree with you that it shouldn't be national issue. I think that it should be an issue on the chanel E but maybe not on cnn repeated several times a day.
 

Everyone knows if you are well known anything about you will be blown out of proportion weather it's good or bad. Some things shouldn't be made a big deal about but when there's nothing else to talk about the media has to find something.
 

Animals at the White House have always been a part of presidencies in the past. Obama's new puppy is no different.
 

Obama has become much more than a politician over the coarse if his announcing his candidacy to now. He has become a celebrity almost here in the States with his face printed on T-shirts and his name being sung in rap songs. He even has his own chia pet modeled after him!!! But that being said, he has become a symbol of hope and change to many people as well, whether or not that change is good is still to be determined. But because of his near celebrity status and his symbolic image, everything he does will be blown out of proportion, like any celebrity. For some reason, people really want to know what famous people do, whether it's buying a puppy or drinking beer, it will make headlines. Is it relevant, no. Will people watch it, yes...