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But now I'm convinced that the majority of beltway journalists are just too dirt stupid to cover an election any other way.
This is probably the single most overlooked, under-appreciated fact in media criticism. Of course, they are hired and then promoted for exactly that reason -- their empty-headedness is an important asset. It's what ensures that they do nothing that is contrary to their organizational mores. When I hear people like Brian Williams or Charlie Gibson speak without a script, the shallowness never ceases to amaze. They're far from evil or manipulative - they're just dumb (it's not ad hominem, just descriptive), and much of their behavior is explained by that.
The more complex questions, and nefarious motives, are found at the organizational level -- why media organizations behave as they do. But the media stars are just there to advance that strategy, and dumbness -- or at least uncritical digestion of what they hear -- is an important asset.
