Wehrwolfen
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- May 22, 2012
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The Other Benghazi Scandal: The Medias Performance
Ace @ Ace of Spades HQ:
After noting the obvious that the press has given Obama a complete pass because hes a liberal Democrat they root for Peter Wehner concludes:
For some journalists, its fairly clear as to why: they had a rooting interest in Mr. Obama winning and they carried a deep dislike, even contempt, for Governor Romney. But for many others I think the explanation is more subtle and in some respects more problematic. They appear to be completely blind to their biases and double standards. If you gave them sodium pentothal, they would say they were being objective. Self-examination, it turns out, is harder than self-justification. And of course being surrounded with people who share and reinforce your presuppositions and worldview doesnt help matters. (A model for todays reporters is Richard Harwood, a Washington Post reporter who called his editor in Washington, Ben Bradlee, and asked to be taken off the 1968 Robert Kennedy campaign on the day of the California primary because he sensed he was, in the words of RFK biographer Evan Thomas, losing his newsmans reserve and
his objectivity.)In general, journalists receive critiques like this with indignation. They enjoy holding up public officials, but not themselves, to intense scrutiny. They insist that their personal biases never bleed into their story selection or coverage. But the outstanding ones and the honest ones would admit, though perhaps only to themselves, that the double standard is real and troubling, that its injurious to their profession, and that things really do need to change. Perhaps because they still know why they got into journalism in the first placenot for advocacy but to report the news in a relatively even-handed manner, to speak truth to power, regardless of the political views of those in power, and to pursue stories in a way that is fair and unafraid.
Today such an attitude sounds almost quaint.
Today such an attitude sounds almost quaint.
Hes correct when he notes how indignantly and angrily anddismissively the press responds to criticisms about their obvious liberal bias.
I think of it like this: If you tell someone whos not an alcoholic that hes drinking too much, hell take an interest in your statement. He might be incredulous, but hell ask things like, Do you really think Im drinking too much? Have I gotten out of hand? Your allegation might come as a surprise to him, and he might doubt you, but hed probably be curious to find out if maybe he does have a problem, or if, at least, hes engaged in behavior suggesting hes got a problem.
Hell actually cast his mind back to nights when he was drinking, trying to remember if he did something embarrassing.
Now, take an alcoholic who knows goddamned well hes an alcoholic and has chosen to continue being an alcoholic and is pretty goddamned sick of people telling him hes an alcoholic because he just wants to keep on drinking at an alcoholic level. Now tell him hes got a problem. Hell tell you I dont have a problem, you have a problem, now why dont you mind your own business instead of sticking your nose into other peoples lack of problems?
Hell be angry about it because 1, he knows youre right, but 2, he has no intention of ever changing this and just wants you to stop noticing hes an alcoholic.
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The Other Benghazi Scandal: The Media's Performance