The feckless media follows along - it's like sanewashing was only in passing.

...or is the perpetuation of the pet/Loomer stories really as helpful as they could be?

Is the focus on "shiny objects" this far from the GE, with the focus shifted on the real issues closer to the GE, a winning strategy?

I honestly don't know, but elections have been won and lost on "shiny objects" in the past.