Shortly after clearing U.S. Customs at O’Hare (surprisingly easily this time), while walking to my connecting flight, I saw my very first glimpse of American TV in a week, blaring from monitors throughout Terminal 3.

The monitors were all tuned to CNN, and the words on the screen were bold, simple, and bright red:

Well, that got my attention.

This wasn’t a news story, however; it was a promo for an upcoming program.

No actual new information was imparted in the ad.  None.  (In fact, it turns out the program originally aired three months ago.  So it’s hardly "news.")  All this was: Fear, artfully packaged, used for private gain.  CNN was doing precisely what the GOP has been doing.  That’s all.  

A male traveler, pot-bellied, mid-30s, traveling with his daughter, turned to another man, younger, wearing a sport jacket.

"Better them than us," the first man said, shrugging, apparently unable to imagine any alternative.

The second man nodded gravely, as if to say: Yes.  We all know what we must do.

I walked away instead of getting into a conversation.  But I can tell you it didn’t exactly feel like coming home.

Time for a pudu…