I agree completely, Gary.  Most political commentators seem genuinely more
interested in how a certain event, statistic, war, quote, etc. will affect a
politician’s political standing than how it will affect America, American citizens,
and the world.  For example,

“Obama escalates in Afghanistan.  How will that affect the mid-term elections? 
How about 2012?  Will Republicans use this as a weapon against Obama’s
political base?  What about Harry Reid’s tight race in Afghanistan?  If he
supports the escalation, it would greatly boost his chances against a brazenly
pro-war conservative.  And what will it do to DNC fundraising?  Will the liberal
grassroots movement punish Democrats for this risky move?  So many
questions!”

In reality, very few ever address the actual policy.

Then again, politics has become just another form of entertainment in America. 
Like reality television, only better (because real people get killed).  Click over to
CNN and check up on the war.  Watch a few explosions and raids.  See
commercials for Viagra, toothpaste, a Chevy pickup truck, and Victoria’s Secret. 
Watch some more explosions.  Boring.  Then watch some sharks on the
Discovery Channel.  Boring.  16 year-old birthday parties on MTV.  Jackpot!  See
a few more Viagra commercials.  Paxil.  Ambien CR.  Head-On, apply directly to
the forehead.  Weather Channel.  Back to CNN to see a surfing chimpanzee. 
Another explosion.  It’s 8 o’clock already?  Time for American Idol!

War, death, destruction, torture, rendition, and assassination are all simply one
frame in the mosaic.  Elections are another.  My Sweet 16 is another.  Twilight is
another.  Monday Night Football is another.  Crest White Strips is another.  Etc.,
ad infinitum.

It’s no wonder our politics have devolved to the most base and mindless level. 
We’re in search of amusement, not truth.  Instant gratification, not deep
intellectual thought.

And practically every frame in the mosaic reinforces this mindset.  “Look hot! 
Eat here!  Buy this TV!  Be a kid!  Buy this car!”

And people wonder why the American education system is so hopelessly and
woefully dysfunctional!  :-p

Funny, I had the same response.  Main stream media treat politics and especially coverage of the President exactly like sports stories, with manufactured polls pretending to be news, keeping score who is up and who is down and circle jerk quotes from the most extreme sound bite specialists.  Breathless reporting:  He said THIS…what do you say about THAT?  Its no wonder most people hate politicians, they actually hate the news coverage and don’t realize theiy are being manipulated into thinking they hate the politicians, or sports performers, et al.

I would say this article relates to politics by
noting the parallels between political coverage and
sports coverage.  Both require constant “news” to
draw eyeballs and appease their sponsors.  As a
result, the media manufactures news.  It’s very easy
to do, after all, since a certain topic/issue/event
becomes news by simply appearing on the news.

Thus, a grey-haired quarterback’s decision about
retirement is turned into no less a media spectacle
than the boy in the bubble, the Salahi folks sneaking
into a party, Anna Nicole Smith’s death, a fight
between a black kid and a white kid on a school bus,
or any other mundane occurrence.

It’s also an argument for the effectiveness of
propaganda.  Why does America care about Brett
Favre’s retirement or non-retirement?  If we didn’t
tune into ESPN, most of us wouldn’t give a damn. 
It’s a non-issue.  But if a major media apparatus
harps on this single “event” long enough, the general
public almost inevitably joins the uproar (hence, the
“Ground Zero mosque”).

Sorry to sound narrow minded but, what has this article to do with politics? I read my local paper for sports news. I come here for something meatier.