DAVID M. HERSZENHORN, for calling Representative Alan Grayson “the Liberals’ Problem Child” and a “wingnut,” and for comparing him to Michele Bachmann in the New York Times.
Filed under: Uncategorized
October 24, 2009 • 8:27 am 0
Bills Summary
S. 1289 / Public Law 111-79
Foreign Evidence Request Efficiency Act of 2009
(Oct. 19, 2009; 123 Stat. 2086; 4 pages)
H.R. 2997 / Public Law 111-80
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010
(Oct. 21, 2009; 123 Stat. 2090; 47 pages)
S. 1707 / Public Law 111-73
Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009
(Oct. 15, 2009; 123 Stat. 2060; 20 pages)
H.R. 3663 / Public Law 111-72
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to delay the date
on which the accreditation requirement under the Medicare Program
applies to suppliers of durable medical equipment that are
pharmacies.
(Oct. 13, 2009; 123 Stat. 2059; 1 page)
H.R. 2131 / Public Law 111-70
To amend the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998
to reauthorize the United States Advisory Commission on Public
Diplomacy.
(Oct. 9, 2009; 123 Stat. 2057; 1 page)
H.R. 3593 / Public Law 111-71
To amend the United States International Broadcasting Act of 1994
to extend by one year the operation of Radio Free Asia, and for
other purposes.
(Oct. 9, 2009; 123 Stat. 2058; 1 page)
H.R. 2918 / Public Law 111-68
Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for the fiscal
year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes.
(Oct. 1, 2009; 123 Stat. 2023; 31 pages)
H.R. 3607 / Public Law 111-69
Fiscal Year 2010 Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act
(Oct. 1, 2009; 123 Stat. 2054; 3 pages)
H.R. 3614 / Public Law 111-66
To provide for an additional temporary extension of programs under
the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act of
1958, and for other purposes.
(Sept. 30, 2009; 123 Stat. 2005; 1 page)
S. 1677 / Public Law 111-67
Defense Production Act Reauthorization of 2009
(Sept. 30, 2009; 123 Stat. 2006; 17 pages)
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August 28, 2009 • 11:11 am 0
Executive Branch
Bills signed into law
Executive Orders
Other presidential actions
Cabinet Actions and Related Reporting
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
U.S. Dept. of Commerce
U.S. Dept. of Defense
U.S. Dept. of Education
U.S. Dept. of Energy
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security
U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
U.S. Dept. of Justice
U.S. Dept. of Labor
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. Dept. of State
U.S. Dept. of the Interior
U.S. Dept. of Treasury
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
U.S. Dept. of Transportation
U.S. Dept. of Transportation Blog
U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs Main Page
Independent Agencies and Government Corporations
The Federal Register
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June 17, 2009 • 10:43 am 0
Extraordinary citizen journalism
Although I have little faith in citizen journalism to do real investigative work and produce the kind of long exposés we’ve seen in Vanity Fair or The New Yorker, it’s hard to argue with the power of ordinary people on the ground with cell phones and internet connections to record the unfolding of events as they happen. This has been dramatically demonstrated over the past few days by the extraordinary coverage of the Iran election protests by Nico Pitney in The Huffington Post.
Grade: A+
Filed under: Uncategorized
June 4, 2009 • 5:02 pm 0
Obama’s speech in Cairo
The BBC: Obama Speech: An Analysis
An interesting and effective approach, if somewhat gimmicky. The BBC broke up the text of the speech into sections, and after each section inserted a “pop up” analysis from one of their commentators. It’s a good way to encourage the reading of the entire transcript. The annotations encourage a thoughtful review of the content. The analysis itself is uneven. I like the way Paul Reynolds, BBC world affairs correspondent, puts the president’s statements in the context of Obama’s policy positions. I found this helpful and thought-provoking. I did not have much use for his value-laden assessments, using language such as “romanticize” or “flatter.” This is wholly a matter of projecting on the part of Mr. Reynolds. He is not a psychologist. Grade: B+
Deutsche Welle: Obama speaks of new beginning between US and Muslim world
A very objective summary of the president’s remarks. No spin, no value judgment. Some excerpts from the speech. As a news report conveying the content of the remarks, DW did an excellent job. Someone who did not see the speech would understand the intent, the tone, and the impression left by the speech. Grade: A
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June 2, 2009 • 7:48 am 0
Photo decision
Why’d Obama switch on detainee photos? Maliki went ballistic
I’m searching around for other websites with this story. I found it on Truthout while going through the blogs this morning. No sign of it on The Huffington Post—a site that recently won an award for supposedly superior news coverage.
I’ve seen extensive coverage and commentary on the president’s decision to bar the release of the photos, but only one paper reported on the reason for the decision. McClatchy has often taken a broadly covered stories and delved into details otherwise ignored. This is one of those times.
Grade: A
Filed under: Uncategorized
May 28, 2009 • 6:27 am 0
Reforming bank oversight
Single-Regulator Plan for Banks Now Close
I haven’t seen this anywhere but the WSJ.
Filed under: Uncategorized
May 27, 2009 • 6:58 am 0
Sotomayor’s record
The nomination of Sonia Sotomayor created a whirlwind of articles and commentary. There was no go-to source on this one—as it should be. The nominee has a complex and rich background, and the response to her would be impossible to capture in one report. Different news outlets took different perspectives on the prospective justice, and combined gave any interested reader a varied and dynamic look at the president’s pick.
Wall Street Journal: Record Shows Rulings Within Liberal Mainstream
McClatchy: Sotomayor’s greatest impact could come from who she is
New York Times: Nominee’s Rulings Are Exhaustive but Often Narrow
Washington Post: Sotomayor on the Issues
Mother Jones: Will Sotomayor Split the Right?
The Daily Beast: One Tough Judge
The Nation: Obama Pick Sonia Sotomayor Reflects America
Vanity Fair: Squawking Aside, Sotomayor Pick Is Just Right
The New Yorker: Jeffrey Toobin: The Arc of a Justice
Filed under: Uncategorized
May 26, 2009 • 12:19 pm 0
California court upholds Prop 8
May 25, 2009 • 6:58 am 0
North Korea’s nuclear test
New York Times: For some reason, this article strikes me as hastily written, which in itself is not surprising. I am bothered, however, a somewhat hysterical tone, and by a certain amount of carelessness in the writing. For example, this excerpt:
The test was safely conducted “on a new higher level in terms of its explosive power and technology of its control,” the agency said.
This may be a technicality, but the word “safely” is not in quotes, and is not in any way supported by any other statement in the article.
There is also an excess of emotional language and a lack of organization throughout, as if this piece was thrown together. For such a serious subject, I would hope for better writing, at the least. I did like the background on why relations w South Korea have become more strained. Grade: B-
The Washington Post: A heavily researched, well organized article with a lot of detail from U.S. intelligence sources. Seismic evidence about the launch is not only stated, but put in context. Background tensions with the U.S., and detail on reactions in the Korean peninsula.
What is most admirable about this article is its refusal to exploit the story for sensationalism and its resisting emotional language. The tests are described as being of little surprise, indeed expected because of intelligence gathered in the the area. The ramifications and reactions across the region, however, are presented clearly and with background. This kind of fact-based, mature reporting is becoming all too rare these days.
The article is lacking in some good detail seen in the NYT about what has recently transpired between North and South Korea. Grade: B+
Christian Science Monitor: An astonishingly completely coverage of this story. CSM may be breaking journalism rules by linking to other sources, such as the L.A. Times, The BBC, and Reuters, but it certainly does the reader a great service in providing a broad swath of information and perspectives. It even gives a brief report on how the test affected the Asian stock market.
This article demonstrates a strength internet news coverage provides that print journalism can not. A single article can draw on multiple sources to provide readers with the best journalism has to offer on the subject. The danger, of course, is that outlets will begin to link to each other and information will begin to contract rather than expand. We must have the groundwork done by as many trained journalists as possible to generate the raw material on which to build a story.
The sources CSM chose to bring to this article are varied and informative. Although CSM’s own staff did not develop the story, they ensured that it was brought in full to the readership. Grade: D
The Wall Street Journal: A concise and focused examination of Korea’s test in the context of the country’s political aims, actions, and relationships with other nations. Reactions from the region and front the United States. Relevant history of Korea’s military decisions and goals in a local and global context. Grade: A
What I wanted to see: I really couldn’t ask more of journalism than the coverage I saw today. Even though I gave the CSM a D for not doing its own reporting, I loved the article they put together, and would appreciate seeing more of this kind of coverage. In another context, the article would get an A+. The Wall Street Journal was the go to source on this one, but the variety of perspectives and details that could be gathered from AP, AFP, the Post, The Times, and so many other organizations provided a good understanding of the situation—which is all we can ask from journalism. My only disappointment was McClatchy, who, at the writing of this review, had yet to post a story about the launch.
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