Apparently, some missed my point

I was on The Paul and Phil Show today and was taken to task by a caller for my comments regarding the Media and the handling of Deepthroat. I contended that Bernstein and Woodward did the country and the news profession a disservice by their piece. Not by the fact that they discovered the “nefarious” plot by the Nixon Administration and published it, but rather, they had the effect of inspiring a generation of reporters who think it is there job to be a crusader and to gain fame and fortune by exposing the “crimes” of Politicians and Business (amazingly, nearly every one of whom is a Republican). Rather than simply report the facts, the use of anonymous sources and self promoting reporting has taken the entire profession down.

For the record, I don’t oppose the knews media, far from it.

What I am opposed to is the widespread use of “Gotcha” Journalism that seeks to elevate the Reporter rather than simply being a conduit for information.

The caller later went off on “Jeff Gannon”, the reporter allowed into the White House newsroom who was discovered to have a somewhat unsavory past.

If we are to not allow reporters into the White House who have no real Journalism skills, and that ask fawning questions, I have to ask, what in the HELL is Helen Thomas doing there? She writes an OPINION column, she is NOT a reporter. She made no attempt to hide the admiration (if not outright school girl crush) on Clinton. I will never forget the question she asked to Clinton that said basically “We all love you so much, how will the country survive without you?”

If housecleaning is in order to get rid of rank partisans in the White House Press Corp, about 90% will be eliminated from the start.

Oops, I almost forgot, when a reporter is a partisan Democrat its just fine, it is only when the reporter is a partisan Republican that it becomes an issue.