Are We All "Suckers" For Trusting the WH Press Corps?

[JABBS]

CBS News' Gloria Borger, who has at times mouthed White House spin admitted to host Howard Kurtz on the June 18 edition of CNN's Reliable Sources that the White House Press Corps were "suckers" who were being "used" by the Bush Administration.

<snip>

BORGER: I think we are suckers. Particularly if you're the one who gets to go on the pool, Howie, and gets to travel with the president on a secret trip to Baghdad. We do like these secret trips. Believe it or not, we kind of like to be surprised, but I think if you're a bureau chief in Washington, you may be asking, "Gee, why didn't we have more information?" ... So you know you're being used, but in a way you kind of like it because it's good pictures.

Gee, why don't the White House press corps get more information? Could it be that it's "frightening" to ask tough questions, as Elisabeth Bumiller, the former White House reporter for the New York Times, said last year. Could it be because White House reporters who do their jobs and ask tough questions of the administration and its spokesmen, such as NBC's David Gregory, are immediately chastised by the conservative media as "liberal?" Are they so envious of Fox News Channel's ratings that they are willing to imitate Bush buddies like Fox's Carl Cameron? Could it be that they're so scared of being ostracized by the administration that they are willing to lambaste a Bush critic, but look the other way when the President says something offensive? That they are willing to amplify conservative anger over jokes at the president's expense, but not provide the same coverage of jokes at the expense of the president's opponent?

<snip>

To read the rest of this article, click here.

[Americus]

1. Res ipsa loquitur

"The thing speaks for itself."

Why would you expect the WH press corps to be anything other than sycophants and stenographers to power? It never has been anything more than that.

[Clark2008]

15. Not always...

Helen Thomas didn't cut her teeth in a sychophantic atmosphere. Yes, there have always been some who were stenographers to power, but it wasn't the vast majority until the last 10 years or so (ironically, once corporations started snapping up all the media - go figure).

[dysfunctional press]

2. who trusts them...?

they're a bunch of lackey enablers.

[donsu]

7. agree - does anybody trust them?

bunch of cowards

[democrank]

3. Like beating your head into a wall because

it feels so good when you stop. We`re being used but......

[JABBS]

4. so it's hopeless?

[Strawman]

5. Hey it's good pictures

That's the role of the fourth branch of government in Reagan/Bush America: to provide good pictures of the president.

[JABBS]

8. LOL

there was a WH consultant for Reagan who was watching a damning news report about Reagan and Iran-Contra, and said he didn't mind, because the images were pretty of Reagan, and most people wouldn't pay attention to what the reporter said anyway.

[Strawman]

12. Mike Deaver pioneered changing the news with photo ops

President Reagan's polling poorly on the education issue? Ok, send him out to some schools to give an "education speech" and more importantly get some good (cute) pictures of him with little school children looking like he cares. Doesn't matter what he says as long as the pictures are good.

It works and it's sad. We're a country of dummies. And watching this kind of news is kinda like that oral exam answer in Billy Madison: everyone is now dumber for having watched it.

[JABBS]

13. exactly

also keep in mind that a lot of people watch television at bars and other locations where the sound is down, so all you get are pictures and maybe closed captioning (which you can't necessarily read from 20 feet away).

[CoffeeCat]

6. At least, they're starting to admit...

...that they are a bunch of suckers.

BushCo treats reporters like poodles--who should be honored to have the access that they do. This misAdministration does not allow a free press. They deny access to reporters who ask tough questions and they give exclusives to reporters who toe the line.

Helen, God bless her soul, is there so BushCo can appear to be all-inclusive.

This administration has a firm grip on the media, but it is the fault of the media owners and editors who allow this administration to call the shots. BushCo needs the media. The media really have the power---but they've relinquished it to thugs. They allowe these thugs to bully and intimidate them into silence.

What if the media did their jobs and BushCo got pissed and denied them access? Maybe then, the media would begin doing their jobs--investigating, uncovering, answering questions, digging--instead of worrying to much about access.

Woodward and Bernstein sure as hell didn't have access, and look what they accomplished.

[JABBS]

10. woodward and bernstein

... were never "frightened" into not asking a question. They remembered the Bill of Rights, I guess.

[Hugin]

9. Count me out...

I haven't believed in the WH Press Corps since way before Jeffie.

[JNelson6563]

11. Did she change her name from Borgia

Cause she sure acts like she's from that wretched clan.

[rman]

14. I think most of us don't trust the WH Press Corps

[Ganja Ninja]

16. Not suckers.

The term "suckers" implies they were being fooled or hood winked. I think it would be more accurate to use the terms " boot licker's" or "slackers".