Strike two on the exclusive

Recently, when asked about gas prices in a press conference, President Bush jokingly replied to a reporter “Strike one on the exclusive. Excuse me, strike two.” Here is one bullet in the long list of problems with our current media. A threat from the president that access will be denied if reported pursue questions that make the administration uncomfortable.

And it has been made painfully clear that smart reporters with smart questions will be punished thought the example of Helen Thomas. Thomas, a woman with more press corps experience than anyone else in the room was unceremoniously moved to the back of the class for asking tough questions.

After eight years of Bush, we have been left with a press corps trained to be obedient, non-confrontational, and shallow. Reporters are afraid that if they don’t have access, they won’t be able to do their jobs. Result, a media catch 22. We have a press corps that does not do its job for fear of not being able to do its job.

The irony is that the press is the camp with the power. They have the power to ruin a presidency with negative coverage, scrutiny, even scandals and distortion. The press has abdicated its power—and for what reason? A president plagued by negative press has no choice but to grant access in order to persuade and change the conversation.

So is it really access that the press covets? Or is it some other benefit?

Increasingly, the press corps has become part and partial of the Washington social set. Some media personalities, such as Chris Matthews, have come right out and talked about being invited to the good parties. John McCain is famous for inviting reporters to barbecues. Could it be that the reporters’ personal lives and wannabe quotients are taking precedent over the sacred responsibilities of the fourth estate?

Proximity to the Washington social circle creates a profound conflict of interest in people who want to be part of the elite and report on the elite. The press is supposed to be the scrappers, the freedom fighters, the disdainful. We are losing these characteristics in a press that increasingly appears on television in designer suits and makeup, who increasingly consider themselves celebrities rather than watchdogs.

This is not to say there are no more scrappers. They just don’t appear on commercial television, with the possible exception of Rachel Maddow, who has become a regular on MSNBC. Anyone interested in the finding the truth on TV knows to steer clear of the commercials in favor of C-Span and PBS. Print is still the best source of scrappy truth tellers, but even print needs to be scoured carefully to filter out propaganda.

For the public, the answer is to ignore the cocktail party set—whether the news makers or the news tellers—and instead seek out the scrappy truth tellers who don’t care about strike one and strike two, because they’re determined to hit the ball out of the park.

Filed under: media, strike two on the exclusive

Of children and butterflies

After a couple of days of real personal confusion, I have finally arrived at my own conclusion as to what has happened to Barack Obama. So many factors were involved—religion, race, politics, media, loyalty, ego—I thought I would never unpack it. But here it is:

Religion is being used by the media to exploit racial tensions. And the goal is to hurt the Obama campaign.

There is fire and brimstone—and offensive silliness—in a lot of religious rhetoric. There is bigotry and bombast and accusation and self righteousness. The wrinkle is that Wright is black. When Wright does the same thing that other religious figures have done, it can be promoted as so scary and so offensive to white audiences that Barack Obama—who did not make these comments and doesn’t agree with them—can be called on the carpet to control his pastor. And when his pastor turns out to be a human being and not subject to control, Obama can be made to apologize for his failure to rein him in.

It’’s a media hit job. It has nothing to do with religion. Religion was just the handiest weapon available.

The American Media has an important lesson to learn—there is a difference between being an entomologist and being a cruel child who enjoys pulling the wings off butterflies.

Filed under: Baradck Obama, media, of children and butterflies

Obama on the media

Here is an excellent example of why the commercial media is no longer our trusted fourth estate. Instead of exposing the “elite” characterization as a falsehood, the media explored the idea for days on end, debating, not whether it was true, but whether Obama could overcome this image—while overlooking their own role in spreading the image. And doing nothing to dispel it.

And unfortunately for the country, not everyone has a computer or access to the internet where people can see and hear for themselves the unfiltered, undistorted candidate, and decide whether there is any truth to the media’s label.

And don’t get me started on the bowling score.

Filed under: Baradck Obama, Obama on the media, media

newsworthy

Behind Military Analysts, the Pentagon’s Hidden Hand

Filed under: media, newsworthy

media

Despite recent articles on torture meetings attended by Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, John Ashcroft, and Geroge Tenet. Yet in the Democratic Debate hosted by ABC News on April 16, George Stephanopolis thought a more pressing topic was Barack Obama’s lapel pin.

An Open Letter to Charlie Gibson and George Stephanapoulos
Take Back Control of Debates From the Networks
The Collapse Of The National Press

Filed under: media

media

Today Rush Limbaugh violated FCC regulations by calling for riots at the Denver Democratic Convention. He advised his audience that this would be the most effective way of preventing a Democratic victory in November. Limbaugh got his start in radio thanks to his wealthy family’s connections and currently broadcasts from his mansion in Palm Beach, portraying a working stiff and complaining about the elites who control America.

Rush Limbaugh Calling For Riots In Denver

Filed under: media