Pundits as Pundittos. Some thoughts on Vested journalists

[soupkitchen]

What you have to remember is that journalists are now filling the role of the Greek chorus on the American stage. They've become actors trained to chirp in unison to the leading players talking points of the day. As such their only definition of truth is the size of their paycheck.
And by vested journalist, this is what I mean: A journalist who has a vested interest in how a story is presented. Not an interest in the truth but an interest in keeping his or her paychecks coming.
What this means for the American public is that all news is the blunted edge. A lot of these people are obviously very bright and very articulate but they're scripting for their editors not for the public. Which means that a pundit's job today is pretty much to find interesting ways to say nothing interesting.
Take that CandyAssCandyEater Candy on CNN (the Compromised News Network) who, after Al Sharpton brings down the house, has the wet towel temerity to sidle up to him and, in the spirit of throwing water on the fire he just lit, flirtingly ask him something to the effect, "Well, Al don't you think you went a little bit off message."
At this point, I wished Rev Al had replied like this (And maybe more people should) "Candy, they're paying you all that money and that's the best question you could ask."
Then, of course, Al could have continued, "Obviously judging by all the cheering I received, I couldn't have been too far off message."
The larger point is that they're all 'bought' and are there serving as the echo. The Greek chorus has become the well paid Geek chorus.
Now, as far as Kerry is concerned this is the 'bad' news. As long as the vested journalists think their bread is buttered by loyalty to the present administration, they're going to shade the news to the right. But the 'good' news is that there's a tipping point here, which maybe we are fast approaching. Seeing that Kerry is going to win, the chorus are all going to start changing their mantras. They are all going to want to be first in line to follow. They are all going to start echoing the lines of who they perceive to be the new leading player.And they will do this with such convincing alacrity that by Inauguration Day, they'll have persuaded the public that Kerry owes his victory to their nonpartisan professionalism. Such is the integrity of our vested journalists. Pundits as pundittos.

[kaitykaity]

1. Too good a post to let it sink without comment.

The Morning Sedition talked about Candy's sister-punditto
Judy WoofWoof this morning as the woman at the party when
you think you look fabulous who comes up and says, "You look
great, but do you really think you should have worn that
here?"

Same thing.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

2. Check this out from the NYT..

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/01/politics/campaign/01points.html

This article will show you just how interested the
so-called "journalists" in this country are in reporting the news accurately and fairly.
Pretty sad state of affairs within the Fourth Estate.

[donkeyotay]

3. "journalists are now filling the role of the Greek chorus"

I agree, this is too good to let sink.

I saw Peter Jennings say he could do any story he wanted to without censorship. Hmmm, obviously he's missed a lot of stories, but I think he sincerely believed what he said. Must be that golden chain, or else they are kept in a bubble.

Just a side question: who does bush remind you of the most, Tony Saprano or the character Percy from The Green Mile?

[kaitykaity]

4. I haven't seen either one of those.

Bush seems to be an "original" in modern times, and
nothing in popular culture I can think of comes close
to capturing him.

(I don't make the Bush/Hitler comparison anymore just
because I don't think it's either wise or necessary.)