“They pretty much mocked the elephant in the room by pointing out a bunch of obscure headlines (mining industry standards in South America, for example).”
Actually, I did mention some of the trivial news stories they highlighted during the first half-hour, such as Newt’s travel plans and the failure of the CT governor to appoint a transportation commissioner.
Just clicked through, and yes you mention it. However, you seem to think it was an earnest attempt to report on the crucial news items of the day. Clearly, they were making fun of the issue.