Kevin Drum has a long post up about the media and their biases, and he includes as an example the “Al Gore Inventing the Internet” memes as one of his least favorite examples of media laziness. I agree with much of what he says, particularly this:
I agree with Bob that the biggest problem with the national press isn’t really either liberal bias or conservative bias, but rather laziness, pack mentality, inability to resist spin (despite their cynical pose), and a willingness to compromise themselves in order to retain access. All of which means that the press is creating storylines this year with the same reckless abandon that they did in 2000.
My favorite example of media bias and laziness all wrapped up into one is the absurd ‘Bush 1 shocked by grocery scanning technology,’ which, of course, was brought to you courtesy of Andrew Rosenthal and the DNC syndicate known frequently called the NY Times and the Boston Globe.
Here, the Rosenthal simply made up a story for the Times from a pool report of another journalist, and his story was used as the backbone for several editorials in those papers, which were then used as talking points by the Clinton gang to show how ‘out of touch’ Bush was. I even remember Paul Begala and others using this as an example on CNN numerous times.
Had Al Gore invented theinternet earlier, I could google it and tell you exactly who said what and when they said it, but, alas, we will simply have to rely on my memory.
Jay
Of course the latest faux pax by the media is much more serious. It’s their inability to get it right when they claim the 9/11 commission said there’s no link between Saddam and Al Qaeda, when that’s not at all the conclusion reached by the commission.
Anonymous
From Sunday’s Washington Post:
“In fact, commission spokesman Al Felzenberg on Friday confirmed that the commission was addressing the broader relationship. “We found no evidence of joint operations or joint work or common operations between al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein’s government, and that’s beyond 9/11,” he said.
The media only reported what was in the staff report. As the commissioners have made clear, though, they don’t necessarily agree with the staff’s conclusions. But this one really isn’t the media’s fault.
Bob Hawkins
Paul Begala had an article in the first issue of “George” magazine about the media getting stories wrong. He uses the Bush 41/scanner story as an example. He admits that he was happy to take advantage of it at the time, although he knew it was phony.
My favorite is the media missing the anti-Dole ad campaign prior to the 1996 Republican national convention. How do you miss a multi-million dollar ad campaign? Well, if the Clinton campaign runs the ads everywhere but the media centers on the coasts, our eagle-eyed investigative press learns about it from Dick Morris’s book months later.
willyb
You seem to be giving the media a pass on the issue of Iraq/Al Qaeda connections. But sooner or later, you have to ask yourself why the media’s laziness is so selective. Why are some in the media predisposed to be lazy with facts that are negative for one party’s position, but scrupulous in their efforts to get it right for the other side? When does lazy become partisan, and how do you know the difference?
The press serves a valuable purpose in exposing the underbelly of politics. But none of the reasons you provided [“laziness, pack mentality, inability to resist spin (despite their cynical pose), and a willingness to compromise themselves in order to retain access”] justifies the exhibition of blind, prejudiced, and unreasoning allegiance to one side or the other. Jason Blair probably availed himself to all of these excuses as he created stories out of whole cloth for the New York Times. I say if the press sees something that offends their political sensibilities, give us the FACTS, and let us make up our own minds.
It appears to me that this whole story on connections could have been cleared up by having a few conversations with members of the panel. After all, it’s not like they are hiding from the press.
John Cole
I am not giving them a pass. Read down a little bit.
Kimmitt
We are not well served by our press; I wish I knew what to do about it.
willyb
“I am not giving them a pass. Read down a little bit.”
I was perhaps overly-focused on “the biggest problem with the national press” context of the paragraph and perhaps saying that you “seem to be giving the media a pass on the issue of Iraq/Al Qaeda connections” went too far. The overall entry is critical of the media without being too judgmental. And maybe that’s at the core of my reaction.
I guess I’m just fed up with the sloppy job the press does. We wouldn’t accept lazy as an excuse from a doctor or lawyer. But we SEEM to accept that excuse from the media on a regular basis. In the end I guess I have to join with Kimmitt in saying “I wish I knew what to do about it.”
Gary Farber
Um, John?
The source for the Snopes story — as you cited — is this, right?
“Marlin Fitzwater, the White House spokesman, assured reporters that he had seen the President in a grocery store. A year or so ago. In Kennebunkport.”
Are we now taking White House Press Secretaries as unconfirmed, but absolutely reliable sources of facts?
If so, I have such a cool amount of news for you about the Clinton Administration!
If not, what, precisely, is your point?
By all means, I’ll be excited to see what you think of this.