Making Watergate “Look Like Child’s Play”: The Solyndra Discourse (2011–2012) as Flak

Media and Communication

article

Brian Michael Goss¹ 

[1] Department of Communication, Saint Louis University—Madrid Campus

关键词: Democrats;    flak;    National Review;    political scandal;    Republicans;    Solyndra;    The Washington Post;   

DOI  :  10.17645/mac.v9i2.3692

学科分类：医学（综合）

来源: Cogitatio Press

【 摘 要 】

In analyzing the distinction between flak and scandal, this investigation focuses on the discourse around Solyndra in2011–2012 on two media platforms. Solyndra was a solar panel firm that went bankrupt after receiving American Recoveryand Reinvestment Act (‘The Stimulus’) funds. The analysis shows that National Review—a rightwing journal of opinion thatincreasingly operates as an online platform—unswervingly utilized the Solyndra bankruptcy as an instrument of politicalcombat. Following flak lines rehearsed by Republicans in congressional hearings, National Review narrated Solyndra asscandalous evidence of the Obama administration’s putative ineptitude and/or criminality that, moreover, discredited theefficacy of green energy. The performance of the mainstream newspaper The Washington Post presented a grab-bag mixas its objective methods insinuated flak packaged as scandal into stories when they followed Republican talking points.At the same time, The Washington Post’s discourse noted that no evidence of administration corruption was discovereddespite extensive investigation and that government intervention into the economy is often highly beneficial.

【 授权许可】

CC BY