Letters to the Editor
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Let's speak plainly, OK Joan?
I think it's great that MSNBC is trying to piggy-back on the end of Countdown by switching the balance of liberal to conservatives guests three to one, with Poor old fuddy-duddy Pat Buchanan playing the role of Alan Colmes to three liberal hotspurs. Even "Average Joe" delights in giving the token conservative a good healthy beating.
It's an entertainment show Joan. You're in show business.
I hope your agent will start getting you up into the big league Sunday Morning shows. You have proven yourself. And you are good.
But on the subject of Scarborough: I was born and raised in the South and I know a syrupy used car dealer when I see and hear one, I can't believe that you actually believe you have made Scarborough "come over to your side" on the war or anything else.
Joe Scarborough is an Andy Capp politician. He was for the war when it was popular, now it's not. Wow! Big change of heart. How hard was that?
It's that creepy smile and corn pone Southern hillbilly accent of his that mesmerizes most Northerners and a few of his fellow Southerners. But Scarborough really lays it on too thick. It's fake.
I just hope you are using him until something better comes along, because he is sure as hell using you.
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We need to talk again, Joan.
I mean, seriously. After all that tyrade you got about your "Howling" article, too. Did somebody from Politico call you up or email you to whine about all the "criticism" (aka accurate reportage)from Salon and somehow persuade you to play nice? Really, how plausible did you think we in plebian-land would take it to be that the "can't we all just get along" or "let's be a little more gentle with the new 'neighbors'" tone was in some way not downplaying nefarious motives that lead to desired outcomes? Ok, so let's just take their words (forget their motives), the net result being peanut butter and jelly deception - plain and simple. C'mon Joan! I think you're better than this and have a great opportunity to jump in with both feet here. I presume Glenn and Tim would attest "the water's not THAT cold". C'mon in! C'mon!
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Welcome to left blogistan, Joan
I just wanted to chime in and say how much I've enjoyed reading your comments, and the openness and fair-mindedness you're displaying. Would that the real editorial decisionmakers in the traditional media would open themselves to criticism in the way you're doing. (And, no, Swampland doesn't count, although it's better than nothing). I hope you find your true voice in blogging, and what I've seen so far is encouraging.
And I know you can't possibly acknowledge everything that's happening in blog-land in a post such as this, but when the book is written about how blogs fundamentally transformed the way political reporting is done, it's obvious that Firedoglake is going to have at least a chapter of its own. From major, high profile triumps like the liveblogging of the Libby trial to the steady stream of thoughtful authors willing to spend hours answering reader questions thoughtfully on the book salons, to the absolutely first-rate snark offered up by TRex in his late-nights, to Christy's homey "pull up a chair" threads that knit the virtual community together, they're an inspiring example of how the blog form can put together old-school expertise and writing ability to make an entirely new thing.
To the people who are basically trying to stuff traditional means of generating content into the toobz, meh. The novelty of the horseless carriage gets kinda stale when you have the opportunity to reserve drive-time on your hybrid car through City Carshare instead. Let the people who are actually good at what they do lead the way, and welcome to the club, Jane.
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Gawd
All things to all people, eh, Joan? Put out the welcome mat for Pravda, and expect to be praised for your ecumenicism. Well, fortunately it ain't my job to keep Salon in the black, but as a paying customer, may I say that I'm most definitely not buying this sweetness and light? The Politico is what Glenn Greenwald says it is, and the only place I'd be willing to welcome it to is Hell -- in fact, it'd be worth it to be consigned there myself just for the privilege of doing so.
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"legislation not investigation"
"Legislation not investigation" was the exact phrase Brian Williams also used this past Monday morning when he called in to Imus on MSNBC.
We're talking print journo Adam Nagourgney from the Gray Lady herself the NYTimes, MSNBC Chief Washington Correspondent Norah O'Donnell via NBC's The Chris Matthews' Sunday morning talk show, and Brian Williams - anchor of NBC Night News.
That's sounding less like some random one-off off-the-cuff comment, but more like a realworld meme.
All this Conventional Wisdom and "advice" for the Dems cautioning that "that's not what voters want to see" coming from those sage concern trolls of the MSM.
All this -- despite this weekends' USA Today/Gallup poll which revealed the opposite: that a majority of Americans - 72% to be exact, believed that "Congress should investigate the involvement of White House officials in this matter".
USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL News Source:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/polls/tables/live/2007-03-26-poll.htm
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Don't let up
Salon having a go at Politico is perfectly legitimate provided you accept that Salon will be held to the same standards as it holds others. If you accept that, and I'm sure you do, then I'd say it's your duty to highlight shoddy reporting in the media.
Everybody makes occasional mistakes and provided they're clearly admitted and rectified, that's not a problem. But we know that a lie is half way round the world before the truth has got its boots on so it's very important to the health of American journalism that this sort of journalistic malfeasance is outed by the likes of Tim Grieve and Glenn Greenwald.
So keep up the good work!
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Broken link
Joan, just wanted to let you know that the first link in your 27 March 2007 post, "Welcome to the neighborhood, Politico!" may be broken.
http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2007/03/22/edwards4/%22
Don't know if I'm the only one, but I'm getting a 404 error.
Glad to find a new blog worth reading!
-Jonathan Powers