There's a bunch of different notions about "the end of politics," but mostly I've seen it refer to the fact that the economic system in the US is basically not up for debate at this point. The issues that are up for debate now do not threaten the basic structure of the political economy, or the economic arrangements of people in this system.
I disagree somewhat about the "both sides" criticism of the media here. This "both sides" approach isn't because the media "hasn't figured out" how to move beyond conventional 90s politics, it's because the media subsists on it's ability to exploit the viewer's attention and emotions. There's plenty of writing and analysis of "real" politics, but the biggest news networks aren't running that as top stories because it doesn't offer the engagement of partisan culture war debates.
As a non USAmerican, this seems only partly true. The media does indeed benefit from the partisanship hype, but it is also (often) accurately reporting politicking made to exploit the same emotional response.
For example, there is little good statesmanship in the North Carolina Republicans founding their own extrajudicial secret police, but it triggers a lot of emotional response even before them actually using it as a fascist tool.
This isn't blown out of proportion by the media, it is an actual thing that the party officially proposed, and it is outright disregarding both rule of law and democratic principles. Even if they have no hope of enacting it, the proposal is made to evoke emotions and sow chaos.
The French would have striked until these people resigned.
They don't see it that way. It's like how the Confederates broke away after Lincoln's election even though Lincoln promised he wasn't going to abolish slavery. It doesn't matter that we aren't going to change the economic system, the fact that they know we don't fully support it is the same as trying to replace it.