DISQUS

vruz · 1 year ago

I'm not too optimistic about them deciding to behave properly.
They haven't shown any remorse about engaging in phyrric battles before.
They have to be called on it, denounced and exposed.
Yes the media have work to do, but most importantly people have to stop sticking to their comfortable armchairs watching TV or Youtube bloopers, and do something to improve their world, because it's clear no politician is going to give it to you for free.
No freedom without a fight.

Scobleizer · 1 year ago

The problem with being a journalist covering politicians:

1. Many are not able to really dig into a politician and get to know him or her. I interviewed six in Washington DC and got 30 minutes at most. Hardly enough time to find that person's weaknesses or dig in deeper than just superficial level.
2. The journalists who DO have access (like those in the White House) are worried about losing their spots. They know they have automatic jobs for life if they don't get kicked out of there.
3. A new administration brings a potential shakeup in press seats, so there's a bit of ass kissing going on, and those who aren't willing to kiss ass aren't going to have reputations that'll get them close.
4. Most of these arguments against Palin are nuanced arguments that require a smart person at both ends (the sending and receiving) and enough time to explain them. That works here on the Web, but not on radio, newspapers, or on TV where the newshole is a few seconds every hour.
5. In the end, this stuff is being fought by the image of her as "one of us." Not me, mind you, because I'm a coastal elitist, but a normal, church-going, average American with a couple of kids who aren't perfect and who take their kids to some sporting event in the afternoons. They aren't going to go into too much depth and, anyway, having someone like Palin in office sure seems like a positive for someone who hates politicians (if you watch my interview with Lessig you'll learn that only 9% view Congress positivitely). An outsider who is different than most politicians will resonate with a large number of people.

Take all of this and I'm not hopeful anymore. I think McCain is winning and going to continue to win on image alone. Welcome to our future. Four more years.

dave · 1 year ago

I understand all that but what I said is that:

1. Someone is lying to you in an interview.

2. You know for a fact that they are lying.

Then you can't continue the interview. That has to end it.

It's the same kind of rule that governs what a reporter is obligated to do when given something on background. If it turns out that what was given to you in confidence was a lie, your obligation to keep it confidential goes away and you even have an obligation to then disclose the whole thing, because you have been used to spread a lie, which is the the oppostite of the job of a reporter.

Keeping access is not an excuse. Sorry. Anymore that you can justify perjury by a financial consideration. The only thing a reporter has to do is report the facts. If the reporter is reporting lies, you're not a reporter, you have lost your integrity.

Scobleizer · 1 year ago

There's a lot of reporters who don't have integrity out there. Plus, lots of reporters know about as much as Palin does about what they are covering. Knowing someone is lying in real time is pretty darn tough and if you accuse someone of lying you better have your facts straight because you'll quickly get a reputation as an asshole and that will keep you from getting access to people, even those who aren't lying.

dave · 1 year ago

They're not reporters if they don't have integrity. That's like saying there are a lot of boats out there that leak and sink. They're not boats, they're things that used to be boats that are at the bottom of the lake.

However it's true that it's hard sometimes to know that someone is lying but sometimes it's not hard. If someone tells you that Barack Obama is a sexual pervert and wrote a law that forces kids to learn about sex before they learn to read, come on, that's a lie -- right?

This isn't theoretical, I'm talking about current events.

Scobleizer · 1 year ago

Dave: it's not me we're talking about. If it were ...

But anyway, I'm keeping up with the news. That's why I'm depressed and why I am not nearly as confident as you are. I still remember Bill Clinton's advance team telling me that it doesn't matter what the candidates say, it matters how they look.

dave · 1 year ago

bill cclinton's advance team certainly believes that -- it's their job to. chris lydon, a guy with great hair and an even better voice would agree. all anyone looks at is your hair, he says. nothing else matters. but sometimes what you say does matter. on the weds night of the dnc, everyone in the arena was carefully listenening to every word bill clinton said. it's not a universal truth, like all political truths, just a guideline, there are exceptions. i believe one of those is upon us, as 9/11/01 was.

Robert · 1 year ago

However, reporting the controversy, showing the truth, yet still failing to call a pig a pig (excuse the choice of words) is what happens. We have one channel promulgating the lies and another shuffling their news team because they pointed out the truth.

There is no fourth estate.

dave · 1 year ago

And I think the campaign ended tonight with the release of the Palin interview. Putting my stake in the ground. See if my intuition is correct. I don't see how the campaign can continue now. Or alternatively if it does continue, that's the end of this country.

Manton Reece · 1 year ago

I watched the interview and didn't see anything that couldn't be defended by McCain. Democrats have been saying since the minute Palin was picked that McCain would have to choose someone else, and they kept saying it as new rumors or facts were revealed. But it hasn't happened and won't. Republicans love Palin, and McCain has never polled so well.

The campaign continues.

dave · 1 year ago

Remember when there was a moment when Republicans started talking openly against the war? That's what's going to happen tomorrow. My guess is the first to move wil be a Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, probably Luger. If you're a Republian involved in foreign policy you can't stand by and do nothing while the VP candidate declares war on Russia! Come on Scoble you have to see that something changed!

Scobleizer · 1 year ago

I really hope you are right. The idea that Palin is going to get anywhere close to the white house is causing me great depression and much of my giving up is a protective system in my brain to protect my sanity.

Kfir · 1 year ago

Not being American, I am not sure I have a right to comment about this campaign. However, I feel that I must since whoever gets to sit in the top position will determine a lot of what will happen in the world the coming 4, or 8 years.
Calling the republicans on their lies will be great to see, but I fear that will not be the end of anything. I may be wrong by saying these but there are certain news media who appear to be biased when it comes to the election. If reporters try to do their jobs, calling on the lies in interviews what will happen is that these biased news media will be the only one getting any interview time with the candidates. And you know that that is a bad thing as no challenging questions will come on problematic points, and absurd claims made will not always be negated by facts. Also the reporters trying to dig up the truth will be dismissed as left media.
The other problem is that most people are to lazy to do something. Yes some of them may complain, but bottom line they come home from work. They are tired. They have this familiar idea of who should run the country. They wont do much, wont dig for facts.
The Republicans are running a campaign that is low on content and truth and big on lies and sleaze. It is for the republicans to realize that if that is the way to win the election it might not be the best for America for them to win the election. Maybe its time to go to the drawing board and start thinking about what is actually good for the people. I know it probably won't happen but a guy can dream.
It is interesting to see what will be the next ad, can it go even lower?

pkerai · 1 year ago

The Dems are not entitled to the presidency. They have to work at it. In other words -- combative press conferencing is not the answer. A better approach would be to get the Democrat A-team to get their message out effectively -- something they've not done as well as they should have.

In fact , at this point, asking the press to do the Dems' work for them (by hectoring the Republicans) is something the Republicans would welcome -- it would bolster their message that the Dems and the Press form part of the establishment.

There's a lot of evidence, much of it supplied by the press themselves, that they'd like it if Obama won. Most voters can sense this, and as a result many will just discount or factor out what the press is saying against the Repubs. This is why I think an evenhanded press is important -- the press has been busy discrediting itself by fawning over Obama.

Anyway, I'm hoping Obama can gloss over distractions like Palin and focus on what he's always done well - boots on the ground. Good organization. Look at this map and you'll figure out where the boots on the ground have to go: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/maps/ob...

Obama can win this easily. Without winning VA and FL. I'll be astonished if he doesn't win NH. Hillary could probably help deliver PA. Even without PA, Obama could easily take MI, IN, OH by going there and repeating a simple message: "All you got after 8 years of Republican rule is a lousy economy. Enough!". That's it, he's won. No need to worry about VA and FL.

Seriously, this is how Obama will win. Not by playing the same old media "gotcha" game, but by organising and reaching out to key voters better.

dave · 1 year ago

i agree with your first paragraph, but i think the press still has to do its job.

escuccim · 1 year ago

I wish this was true. I hope it is true.

However, as you hinted at, most Americans are not educated and don't really care about the future of this country. And even after watching this interview I'd be surprised if most of the people were as shocked as you and I are. I'm sure the majority of the country doesn't know what the Bush Doctrine is, and has no experience with foreign policy, or any interest in foreign policy, so I don't think even something like this will affect their vote.

I wish and hope that you are right about this being the end of the Republican campaign, but I fear you are not.

jbenson2 · 1 year ago

And I think the campaign ended today with the release of Obama's 4th weak promise to take off his gloves and become less of a wimp.

Bill · 1 year ago

I left a comment on your article on the Huffington Post. I wanted to leave a link to my referring to your article on my blog. But the comment fiter wouldn't let me. So here it is.

http://whatbillthinks.blogspot.com/2008/09/dave...

jpalmer · 1 year ago

I think I've got it figured out!

John McCain has a 'press whistle'. It's like a dog whistle, but only the main stream media can hear it.
He gives his 'press whistle' a toot and claims "lipstick on a pig is sexist!" and the media runs with it. After he blows it anything he says, no matter how factually fractured, no matter how irrelevant., becomes the story of the day.

Sources tell me it sounds like a missing blond woman.

Dave D. · 1 year ago

Here are a few ideas for the Obama campagn:

1. I truly believe that McCain is not as far right as he is now running. Even the "Republican Base" fervently believed this until a few weeks ago.

Will the "maverick" in him really stick to far-right principles if he were to get in office? I have my doubts.

And if I have doubts, and I'm not a Republican, how hard would it be to rekindle the doubts of the Republican Base.

To Obama: Go after his strengths.

2. Some time ago, Obama said that he would think about sending troops (or special ops) into the Tribal regions of Pakistan. He was slammed at the time.

Guess what the Republican administration did this summer -- authorized just such action. And now they're happening.

Just as Bush's withdrawal plans are looking more and more like Obama's, Obama's ideas about these wars are proving correct.

These are important ideas that Obama was out in front of and he needs to figure out how to get credit.

3. Obama needs to swallow his pride and stop pronouncing it as "Pahk-ee-stahn."

Tard E Dizzle · 1 year ago

you need to read Lakoff if you think better reporting is the answer.

Mike · 1 year ago

Expecting the press to do its job is wishful thinking at this point. This is the same press that is willing to devote hours and hours of coverage to OJ Simpson, Britney Spears, B-list celebrities, and endless man bites dog stories.