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Hagbard Celine said:Because it's a reporter's job to stand in the stead of the average citizen. That means asking any and all questions relevant to an issue so that the whole story, not just the polished, PR version is printed for the public record.
If reporters didn't ask questions and investigate, we'd all be at the mercy of PR officials.
Avatar4321 said:If they are supposed to stand in the stead of the average citizen, then why dont they ask questions the average citizen would. I can promise you that the average citizen is not wondering why VP Cheney decided to help his friend get medical attention instead of immediately notifying the media and the average citizen is not wondering if the VP will resign because the average citizen is not stupid enough to wonder that.
Hagbard Celine said:Because it's a reporter's job to stand in the stead of the average citizen. That means asking any and all questions relevant to an issue so that the whole story, not just the polished, PR version is printed for the public record.
If reporters didn't ask questions and investigate, we'd all be at the mercy of PR officials.
You've got your facts wrong. No reporter asked a question regarding why Cheney helped his friend before he went to the press. Saying that unfairly and falsely demonizes the press. The question they actually asked was why he had a private citizen release the story to a local paper instead of having his office make an official announcement. Even Scott McClellan said that the way the story was released was unorthodox and he said that he and his office do not operate that way.Avatar4321 said:If they are supposed to stand in the stead of the average citizen, then why dont they ask questions the average citizen would. I can promise you that the average citizen is not wondering why VP Cheney decided to help his friend get medical attention instead of immediately notifying the media and the average citizen is not wondering if the VP will resign because the average citizen is not stupid enough to wonder that.
Hagbard Celine said:You've got your facts wrong. No reporter asked a question regarding why Cheney helped his friend before he went to the press. Saying that unfairly and falsely demonizes the press. The question they actually asked was why he had a private citizen release the story to a local paper instead of having his office make an official announcement. Even Scott McClellan said that the way the story was released was unorthodox and he said that he and his office do not operate that way.
As for questions regarding the legal status of the VP's hunting license--I think they are relevant. Wouldn't you want to know if Cheney did not have a valid license or had not taken a hunter safety course? I think those facts would be extremely relevant.
I just don't think you are going to find any [real] fault with the press here.
If you're desperate to attack the press then you should attack the fact that other major issues were largely ignored at today's Whitehouse press conference. The fact that reporters were asking questions about the VP shooting someone does not indicate fault--in fact it indicates the opposite, that they were doing their jobs. But that fact that this event, though relevant, overshadowed other more important issues may.
Even so, it's still today's biggest story--and you can't fault the press that much for concentrating on it.
Hagbard Celine said:I think you're interpreting a discussion of facts as "pissed." Reporters, especially the televised talking heads you're referring to have no motive for being "pissed" about this story. They're just stating that the story was with-held for 24 hours before being released, which is apparently true right?
Working Man said:First, screw the media. ALL OF THE NETWORKS SUCK. I didn't vote for the vultures in the media to help sculpt US policy, or law. I have no use for any of them including that asshole John Stossel.
Delays in reporting:
Isn't it true that Bill Clinton sprayed his shot all over that poor interns face, and dress and it took months and an impeachment to get him to confess?
If Bill was honest, he would have divorced Hillary and moved on, or became the first playboy president. (apples and oranges you say?) But then again,, nobody died this time... Remember Vince Foster? Remember a box of confidential records that telepathicaly moved themselves into the First Hosebag's excercise room??? How long did that stuff take before it was admitted to and released to the press??? It happened did it not? Talk about cover ups.
WHo gives a shit to be honest. I am more pissed that Cheany wasn't more carefull, and that dipshit lawyer allowed himself to be in Dick's field of fire.. BOTH NEED TO GO BACK AND TACK AN NRA SAFETY COURSE!
But, to their defense, they are out doing their thing. Hunting is an American tradition. The two were not staging press releases like that asshole from Messachussettes, Kerry. Or what ever old frankensteens name is.
When the VP of the United States shoots somebody it's really big news that the American people have the right to know. The fact that the breaking of that news was left up to a private citizen is an issue that should be explored. It's ridiculous to call this a "non-story." The VP shot a guy--there's no way out of it, that's definately news.dilloduck said:The press turned "the biggest story of the day" into " Why weren't we told sooner". They ARE NOT the news--they are to report it. If all they can do is bitch about how and when THEY got the news, it's just another non-story that they want to piss and moan about so much that it BECOMES the story. THAT is extremely poor journalism.
theim said:Well, your party currently has as one of it's leaders an incoherent drunk who actually did kill a woman, and his career doesn't seem to have suffered much :shrug:
Hagbard Celine said:When the VP of the United States shoots somebody it's really big news that the American people have the right to know. The fact that the breaking of that news was left up to a private citizen is an issue that should be explored. It's ridiculous to call this a "non-story." The VP shot a guy--there's no way out of it, that's definately news.
To working man...Clinton has nothing to do with the VP's hunting accident. Neither does that doof Kerry. But if you're going to bring up "staged press events" and make out like only Dems do it, maybe you should keep this little tidbit in mind:
Staged Teleconference With US Troops
Pot calling the kettle black? I think so.
I said before that I think the press stands in the stead of the average American. So when the press is notified, the public is notified. It's odd that the VP would want a huge story like this leaked by a private woman to a local paper, rather than to the mass media officially by his own office. That's the issue.dilloduck said:All politicians use staged events. I just like to laugh at the dems doing it because they just aren't my kinds folks. Vice versa I'm sure.
The VP accidentally hitting his buddy with some bird shot is certianly a story however is it a BIGGER story than who reported it or when? Since the press was not the first to be notified and notified when THEY thought they should be, they are going to try to make it sound like a cover up attempt. Plain and simple. I am imagine the woman asked if she could notify the local media and Cheney said "sure". He has a right to deal with his private life the way he wants don't you think ?
Hagbard Celine said:I said before that I think the press stands in the stead of the average American. So when the press is notified, the public is notified. It's odd that the VP would want a huge story like this leaked by a private woman to a local paper, rather than to the mass media officially by his own office. That's the issue.
If you would argue that Cheney has the right to handle this incident privately rather than publicly, then I would assume you would argue the same regarding Clinton's adulterous affair with Lewinski.
But I would wager that that is not the case.
Even Scott McClellan acknowledges that the news was mishandled according to his own standards.
They aren't expected to kiss the press' collective ass but I think they owe it to the American people to release an official story and do it before a private citizen releases their own version of the story.dilloduck said:The press does stand in stead of the average American so why in the hell do they get pissed when an average American happens to there and WITNESSED the incident gets to release the story. Can they present the average American with a story that is more correct than hers' ?
Cheney didn't lie. Cheney did not commit a crime. Cheney was on vacation. Cheney wasn't getting a blowjob in the oval office while supposedly working for me. The adminstration is not required to kiss the press' ass.
Hagbard Celine said:They aren't expected to kiss the press' collective ass but I think they owe it to the American people to release an official story and do it before a private citizen releases their own version of the story.
Just hypothetically, what if the ranch-owner had reported that Cheney shot Whittington on purpose and that version of the story had been floating around before the VP's official version had come out? The issue is the public's right to accurate information on these types of things about their public figures and elected officials.
The public's interest in this story is huge, so the VP's office should have released the story themselves rather than leaving it up to a private ranch owner in rural Texas. It's a PR gaffe on the VP's part that makes him and his office look incompetent. Not a big deal but a deal none-the-less.
What doofus said that?theim said:I was just reading some lefty forums, and they think it must have been intentional because he used a shotgun to hunt a bird. They think a rifle would have made more sense, since a bird is very small. These people crack me up.
theim said:I was just reading some lefty forums, and they think it must have been intentional because he used a shotgun to hunt a bird. They think a rifle would have made more sense, since a bird is very small. These people crack me up.
Release/leak you're arguing semantics.dilloduck said:News is a business and often a despicable one. Anti-Cheney stories are a big seller and the press wanted this one badly. When they lost the scoop they lost money. Did you even see the press conference? If you did you saw that the MAIN thing they were pissed about was the timeline. Only one person asked why a private citizen was allowed to release (not leak) the information to a local news source.
The private citizen asked permission and recieved it from the VP. She wasn't some wacko running around saying the sky was falling. Get real !
IF the real issue here is the Americans "right to accurate information" then quit bitching. They got it! And if we really HAD a right to accurate information from the media, half the media sources would have to be shut down.
theim said:I was just reading some lefty forums, and they think it must have been intentional because he used a shotgun to hunt a bird. They think a rifle would have made more sense, since a bird is very small. These people crack me up.
IDIOTS. They know NOTHING about guns, but yet want to BAN them.
Hagbard Celine said:Release/leak you're arguing semantics.
The timeline and the private citizens' "release" of the information are intertwined issues. If the private citizen had all the information, then the VP's office did too. Why didn't they make an official announcement to the public?
As of Sunday, the day after the accident occurred, the local Corpus Christi paper was still referring inquiring journalists to the ranch owner as the primary source for the story.
I don't want to make it seem like I think it's a huge deal--we're just going to argue ourselves in circles. I just think you're being unfair in accusing the press of being "out for blood" or whatever it is you're saying. All I've seen and read is that they're making this into a "people's right to know" issue, not a reporter's hurt feelings issue. And I think they have a point--this was a major PR gaffe on the VP's part.
