I am thoroughly disgusted. After reading the LA Times Story again...

[bj2110]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=2&u=/latimests/20050225/ts_latimes/anidentitycrisisunfoldsinanotsoelitepresscorps

There are so many forgettable, yet somehow iconic, quotes in this one, that it defies description, history & logic, yet defines the current state of idiocy, hypocracy, and lack of basic intelligence.

Let's see... here's one:

"If you look at the question Gannon asked, it obviously reflected his conservative views," Fitzwater said.

"But it's no different from the ones Helen Thomas asked of Reagan, or Dan Rather asked in his more famous comments about Richard Nixon.

"This guy got caught and he's a little weirder than most..."

Comparing Gannon to Rather. OMG. How long was Rather on the NIGHTLY news? Reaching how many millions? How long did Gannon last?

Or, how about this one:

"We wanted to err on the side of inclusion," said Steve Scully of C-SPAN, who serves on the executive board. "Once you start dictating who is a journalist, you go down a slippery slope."

And what slope would that be? The hill of due diligence? The running slide of looking at a history more than a month or so old? Please. This is unbelieveable. Wonder how out of context this quote was taken?

Look past the quotes and it's the same mo. There's the narrative. This article is riddled with language that isn't typically seen in journalism in today's age.

Example:

"Yet the White House press corps is not the thoroughly screened and scrubbed journalistic elite Americans might presume. Along with stars of the country's major media organizations, it has long included eccentrics, fringe players and characters of uncertain lineage."

Or this one:

"Still, the impression lingers for some that the Bush White House — with its reputation for stage-managing the news — orchestrated softball questions. Others say the White House is simply a magnet for those eager to usurp its stage."

Where was the intelligent verbage in the articles re-telling how pointless the failed vote recount attempt was? It's like the difference between a basic collegiate english course and a 3rd grade reading period.

Why would that be? Hmmm...? What group would be alienated and may not fully grasp the point based on such lively and enigmatic words? Maybe Middle America? Maybe the guy who watches FOX, the guy who dropped out after his sophomore year to help with his Dad's machine shop and raise a newborn girl? Talk about journalism with an audience. But this is not a pointed effort at reaching an audience who will help the cause, but one which will strive to satisfy those who would hurt it while squirming past those who agree.

And that, my friends, is immoral journalism, and goes against everything this country was founded on, and that which I believe we should continue to rely on.

Thanks for listening.

[librechik]

1. Hmmm. Right Wing Steve

Scully from S-Span WashingtonJournal, eh?

I'm glad he wants to err on the side of inclusion. Too bad forgets that every morning as he shorts liberals on phone calls and loves to read the American Spectator and the Wall Street Journal editorial page.

Does anyone besides me think Steve is gay?

I'm just askin.