Anonymous guest commentary:
Washington Post: Fear and Favor? A huge, in-depth profile in Sunday's Washington Post Style section focusing on a suburban mom accused of turning tricks in her home after losing several jobs illustrates the cowardly priorities of what passes for investigative reporting these days in the mainstream press. In a bizarre twist on the New York Times slogan, the Post's mantra for news stories is clear: "With Fear and Favor!" Usually that's most obvious in puff pieces that trivialize or ignore unflattering material about favored big shots. But this dominant news organization used its vast power on Sunday to crush a nobody -- someone who even if convicted of prostitution or disorderly conduct would be more likely to receive a suspended sentence than any substantial term.
To be sure, the newspaper was "fair" enough to pull her into a coffee shop (without a lawyer), and let her defend herself for hours against allegations that men were seen going to her home, etc. It's "We slime, you decide" -- and probably libel-proof after alot of expensive vetting by Post lawyers. Oh those clever neo-cons in the editor chairs! They really showed their courage, as did the on-the-make reporter ready to earn his keep by turning his own tricks in trashing the suburban mom.
Taking a step back, though, what kind of enterprise reporting have we been seeing from the Post on similar topics involving some of the biggest names in the U.S. and their relatives? That's right, people like Porter Goss and his colleagues in Congress and the CIA, Neil Bush, etc. have families -- and friends. What about a new deal? One where the full power of the free press is used to examine johns who are also boodling millions at the public trough? The U.S. is at war.
The last time we were in this deep the Truman Commission in the Senate was looking into sex and contracting scandals amongst fellow Democrats, including shenanigans by the family of the U.S. President -- all of which was grist for the DC press. We won that war, drawing on widely shared values. But that was then.
***WayneMadsenReport***
To be sure, the newspaper was "fair" enough to pull her into a coffee shop (without a lawyer), and let her defend herself for hours against allegations that men were seen going to her home, etc. It's "We slime, you decide" -- and probably libel-proof after alot of expensive vetting by Post lawyers. Oh those clever neo-cons in the editor chairs! They really showed their courage, as did the on-the-make reporter ready to earn his keep by turning his own tricks in trashing the suburban mom.
Taking a step back, though, what kind of enterprise reporting have we been seeing from the Post on similar topics involving some of the biggest names in the U.S. and their relatives? That's right, people like Porter Goss and his colleagues in Congress and the CIA, Neil Bush, etc. have families -- and friends. What about a new deal? One where the full power of the free press is used to examine johns who are also boodling millions at the public trough? The U.S. is at war.
The last time we were in this deep the Truman Commission in the Senate was looking into sex and contracting scandals amongst fellow Democrats, including shenanigans by the family of the U.S. President -- all of which was grist for the DC press. We won that war, drawing on widely shared values. But that was then.
***WayneMadsenReport***
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 1:37 AM
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