Letters to the Editor
SusanMc
Published Letters: 467 Editor's Choice: 1
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Journalistic Standards
[Read the article: David Broder's "seriousness"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]GG: It is the right-wing demonizers who concoct these debate-killing slogans, but it is the David Broders who embrace and perpetuate them, who convert completely irrational premises into unquestioned and unchallengable political orthodoxies, thereby rendering our political debates toxic and worthless. And that is, more or less, the core job description of Beltway pundits.
I wonder how such a situation could have developed?
After almost a half-century in this business, I certainly feel a sense of shame and embarrassment at our performance. The feeling is not relieved by the awareness that others in journalism not only did fine work on other stories but took the lead in exposing these instances of gross malpractice.
The common feature -- and the disturbing fact -- is that none of these damaging failures would have occurred had senior journalists not been blind to the fact that the standards in their organizations were being fatally compromised.
We need to be asking why this collapse has taken place.
My suspicion is that it stems from a widespread loss of confidence in both the values of journalism and the economic viability of the news business.
The first symptom of wavering confidence that I spotted came when news organizations -- television particularly, but print as well -- began offering their most prestigious and visible jobs not to people deeply imbued with the culture and values of newsrooms, but to stars imported from the political world. Journalists learn to be skeptical -- of sources and of their own biases as well. If they are any good, they are tough on themselves.
--David Broder
...and then he blames the bloggers.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49279-2004Sep25.html
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Excellent Job!
[Read the article: Debate with Frank Gaffney]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]GG: C&L has now posted the full audio podcast of the debate
Many thanks to C&L. I'm really glad I stuck it out and listened to the whole thing. You did a fantastic job, but I really must say, "That can't be their 'A' team!"
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Losing It
[Read the article: Debate with Frank Gaffney]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]zack: Of all the things Glenn said, that may be what pissed him off the most – he (and all neo-cons) absolutely refuse to concede that their ideas have been overwhelmingly rejected by the American people.
I agree. I think that's when he lost it, and swore, when Glenn was running that down. Glenn stayed amazingly informative, reasoned and focused, yet clearly impassioned. It was quite a contrast with Gaffney's backpedaling repetitious vaguaries.
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Skillz
[Read the article: Debate with Frank Gaffney]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]GG: I think the analysis here and elsewhere is about the obvious emptiness in Gaffney's claims, not his performance as a talker.
Exactly. I especially liked his attempt at condescension, his "Since you don't understand, I'll try again" tactic. That becomes really obvious by the third or fourth time. Any good teacher knows that if you're trying to get across a point someone doesn't understand, it does no good to simply repeat the same words over and over again, you have to try a different approach. His problem was, he doesn't have any other words-- just empty rhetoric.
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Determination
[Read the article: Debate with Frank Gaffney]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Ric: The political debate over the war would be a lot more entertaining if the networks allowed liberal/left war opponents to be just as determined as their bullying neo-con adversaries.
I thought Tim Ryan also did a pretty good job:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1LJD9EGOX4&NR
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Rhetoric
[Read the article: Gen. Odom explains basic reality to Hugh Hewitt and the "Victory Caucus"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Joe: I keep forgetting that in the blog world you have to hit people over the head with your viewpoint.
Actually, reasoned argument is what convinces me, but we're getting none of that from you. The stamping of little feet is not enough.
Who was it that was going to invent a "kill" button for the Salon comments? That can't come soon enough for me.
I, too, loved that served alongside comment. Could chickenhawkery be more tasty? The General's disdain was palpable.
Thanks once again, Glenn.
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Memory Loss
[Read the article: Debate with Frank Gaffney]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Joe: I'm certain Glenn and his followers would laughed at any warning that Al queda was going to fly planes into the WTC
No, actually it was Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Condi who did that. Remember Osama Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.? Of course you don't.
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Making Sense
[Read the article: Gen. Odom explains basic reality to Hugh Hewitt and the "Victory Caucus"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]WT: Let me say this about that; clownsense is one of the unknown unknowns. Hands off clownsense.
Yes. I like that he gives us props. Just read his posts as you would poetry, and you'll get used to it.
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Homework
[Read the article: Why is Brit Hume treated like a real journalist and news anchor?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Bullsmith: Can you provide a similar quote from your NPR bogeymen?
He cannot. I mean, it's possible he could find a needle in a haystack if he did some actual research and analysis-- he might find and use some out-of-context quote. But this is the usual wingnutty way: trying to get you to do their homework and prove a negative.
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Seriously?
[Read the article: Why is Brit Hume treated like a real journalist and news anchor?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]qqve: let's talk about that female commentator on Pacifica Radio
What? Let's find out who she is and have her moderate the Republican debate, then! The nuts today are about as serious as commentators as Hume is as a journalist.
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Reality TV
[Read the article: Unbearably, painfully, depressingly funny]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Still, here's an idea for Fox News. Take Geraldo Rivera off the Anna Nicole beat and put him full time on this one.
You know what's really funny? I'll bet they do this. He'll probably even shed a few tears.
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Glenn's New Book
[Read the article: Unbearably, painfully, depressingly funny]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I preordered. Have you?
Is it a good time, or should we wait to make more of an impact?