Two recent statements by top American journalists tell us a lot about why their profession is in such a mess. The first is by David Brooks, who, in the midst of arguing that this week's disastrous ABC debate was actually really good, says,The journalist’s job is to make politicians uncomfortable, to explore evasions, contradictions and vulnerabilities.The second is by Wolf Blitzer, who says, as quoted by Digby,If you want to be president [...] you have to expect that everything is fair game, almost every part of your life,... lire la suite
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Two recent statements by top American journalists tell us a lot about why their profession is in such a mess. The first is by David Brooks, who, in the midst of arguing that this week's disastrous ABC debate was actually really good, says,The journalist’s job is to make politicians uncomfortable, to explore evasions, contradictions and vulnerabilities.The second is by Wolf Blitzer, who says, as quoted by Digby,If you want to be president [...] you have to expect that everything is fair game, almost every part of your life, and certainly your finances or anything like that.There are two problems with these two statements. The first is that they are both simply inaccurate as descriptions of what the press actually does. The second is that they betray a complete misunderstanding of what the press should do. As descriptions of what the press does, both Brooks and Blitzer want us to imagine that all presidential candidates get the same kind of treatment. But we all know that's not the case. Perrspective recently compiled a list of ten questions that John McCain, for example, will never be asked:1. Do you agree with Pastor John Hagee that war with Iran is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy? 10. With the economy tanking, shouldn't Americans be concerned over your past statements that "the issue of economics is not something I've understood as well as I should?"If McCain ever encounters any of those questions from the media between now and November, I for one will be stunned. But they are exactly the kind of personal questions and uncomfortable contradictions that Brooks and Blitzer claim it is the press's job to ask. Let's be blunt about this: it's their job (and their delight, apparently) to ask questions like that of Democrats, but not, usually, of Republicans. The second thing, though, is even more serious. If Brooks and Blitzer really think that the media's job is simply to explore personal, uncomfortable things about any candidate's life (and it probably is what they think their job is, even if it's not what they actually do), then both of them believe that their job is to ask nothing about policy except insofar as it makes a (Democratic) candidate look bad. Both of them believe that their job has nothing to do with the truth, nothing to do with the public interest, nothing to do with anything except gleeful personal attack. It also means that they do not understand the difference between being a public servant and being public property. And it means that they see no difference between political analysis and the shoddiest tabloid celebrity rumor-mongering.
That would explain Brooke’s vow to clean her closet and keep the debris at a minimum. But the former real estate investor is quick to defend her organization techniques. “He’s anal!” she exclaims.” What it was is not really debris but clothing. He's so clean and organized that if I leave my pajamas or my clothes on the side of the bed or some water...he thinks I'm being messy and not clean and organized. I think I'm just being relaxed and normal and not having to fold my pajamas and put them away the moment I wake up.”