We have told you, our viewing audience, virtually nothing at all about the vice-president for three years, even though we are supposed to be… you know… “the news”.

Now here’s a reality television-style data dump on top of you, out of the blue and with a shrill emotional tone to it, even though we are supposed to be… you know… “the news”.

One can detect the obvious mechanism of political infotainment a little more clearly when they have to stop midway and change the cartridge. Or maybe it’s more like the grind of a sausage factory.