My Arizona State University journalism professor would have kicked me out of class had I espoused the fundamental misunderstanding of a journalist’s role that’s come from the keyboards of nationally known “journalists” over the past two days.
Today, Newsweek’s Howard Fineman, in a column about why Sen. MCain is still very much in this race, clearly is unconcerned and unphased by the “fawning” news coverage Sen. Obama has received during this campaign (emphasis is mine):
Obama has outspent McCain on TV advertising three or four to one (though McCain is matching him in some key states here at the end). Obama has four thousand paid organizers in key states, an unheard of number. Most voters think that McCain’s running mate is not qualified to be president. Many people wonder aloud if McCain is in fact too old (72) to be president. Much of the media coverage of Obama has been fawning to say the least, and with good reason. He is one of the most winsome, charismatic candidates to have appeared on the scene in decades.
Still, in today’s “traditional Gallup†Daily Tracking Poll (the one that screens likely voters most rigorously, based on past votes), Obama leads McCain by only two percentage points, 49 to 47 percent.
Fineman’s column follows on the heels of this Politico column by John Harris and Jim Vandehei — headlined appropriately as follows:
Why McCain is getting hosed in the press
Bottom line from Harris and Vandehei is — get this — the biased coverage is McCain’s fault.
If “journalists” want to be advocates, which this election cycle has clearly demonstrated, then they should have the guts to say they are advocates for a particular viewpoint. Their stories and ideas can then be judged fairly and openly in the marketplace of ideas based on that viewpoint.
Transparency and honesty — that’s the least the public deserves.
........As you post your comment, please conform to Right Angles's simple comment policy: we welcome all perspectives, but require that comments be both civil and respectful. If you wouldn't say it to a co-worker in front of your boss, it probably is not civil and respectful. We will delete any comment that fails this test and issue a warning to the poster. A second offense will result in a ban on commenting on this site. In sum, disagreements, arguments even, are welcome; abusive behavior is not. Thanks.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
29
2008 At 11:40 am, Jon Ham Said:
Fineman and most of the media are having a “Bro-mance” with The One.
29
2008 At 11:40 am, clayj Said:
Charismatic leaders are often not a good thing:
http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/personoftheyear/archive/stories/1938.html
Before he started killing his neighbors and many of his nation’s citizens, people thought You Know Who was all that and a bag of chips, too. Raised by his doting mother (check), was disaffected by the society he lived in (check), got into questionable politics at an early age (check), rose quickly through his party’s ranks (check), got everyone wearing logos and singing songs about him (check).
Wait. Who were we talking about again?
29
2008 At 12:52 pm, Pi Master Said:
Godwin is a bit harder to sidestep than that, clayj. But A for effort!
29
2008 At 1:54 pm, clayj Said:
Well, depending on how Tuesday goes, Godwin might soon become my middle name for as often as I will be using it to prewarn readers of my intent.
29
2008 At 4:26 pm, clayj Said:
Here’s another one of my Rush conversions (there are two now)… hope you like it!
OBAMA (sung to Rush’s “Tom Sawyer”)
A modern day socialist
My, oh my
Barack Obama
Why, oh why
Oh his words are abhorrent
And yes he acts so arrogant
His speeches are full of nonsense
Ev’ry word complete pretense
The lying
What you know about his company
Tells you all about the kind of man he’ll be
William Ayers, Harry Reid
Tony Rezko, Rev’rend Wright
Pelosi, Pelosi
Tax and spend is fun
‘Specially since you all will pay
Barack Obama
He looks down on you
And the cash that you earned
He will take from you
Oh his plans are abhorrent
“We gotta grow the government”
Always saying we’re discontent
He tries to hide his real intent
But we know
And what you know about his history
Tells you all about the kind of man he’ll be
Shades of Stalin, shades of X
Shades of Lenin, shades of Marx
Pelosi, Pelosi
Tax and spend is fun
‘Specially since you all will pay
Enter Messiah
Barack Obama
He looks down on you
The hard work you do
He will tax it, too
No fiction left today
29
2008 At 7:58 pm, darrren12000 Said:
Yes – I read the Politico.Com article and found it pretty bad. The statement by the Newsweek journalist is the exact opposite of objectivity! And does not pretend otherwise. Awful.