From WNYC in New York, this is On the Media. I'm Bob Garfield.

And I'm Brooke Gladstone. As political paralysis in Washington brings the nation ever closer to default,

the press has had little trouble covering the brinksmanship over the nation's debt ceiling.

Leaders from both political parties still struggling to reach a deal to raise the nation's debt ceiling.

As a bipartisan, deficit reduction deal appears more and more unlikely.

Here's the prevailing media narrative.

The Republicans want the government to live within its means, like ordinary Americans.

The Democrats want the wealthy who enjoy disproportionately low tax rates to pay their fair share.

And Washington is playing a serious game of chicken that the president, as the nation's in loco-parentis in chief, seems unable to stop.

That's the narrative in which every statement is viewed from the prism of politics.

Here's President Obama, followed by GOP presidential hopeful Michelle Bachman.

I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven't resolved this issue,

because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it.

We were all shocked and appalled that President Obama dangled out in front of the cameras

that senior citizens may not get their checks.

That's a very dangerous statement to make.

The fiscally conservative British news magazine, the economist, wrote this week

that Republicans are, quote, clinging to the position that not a single

cent of deficit reduction must come from a higher tax take.

This is economically illiterate and disgracefully cynical.

But the economist was unusual in addressing the economic arguments at all.

The media's obsession with the debt

...