[operation clinton cleanup]

I would say TV was the cause. Reading or hearing a candidates positions encourages thought. Seeing images blurs the message and encourages an emotional response rather than a rational one.

[logician2u]

That'ts good reasoning.

Did you happen to notice that Gold, in this interview, decries the "sound bite mentality" that, IMHO, was a large factor contributing to Goldwater's defeat in 1964.

It was bad then. It's worse today. And nearly every candidate plays it for all it's worth.