The End of Journalistic Integrity

It's one thing to read about the amoral approach of political journalists in reporting the news: it's another thing to see it made manifest. The other night, C-SPAN presented a post-election panel of journalists, and Elisabeth Bumiller, the doyenne of the New York Times, proudly demonstrated everything that is so wrong with our political media.

When politicians lie to her - bold, transparent lies - she does not call them lies: she prefers an opaque construction, like 'the Vice-President's statements are contrary to the 9/11 Commission Report's findings,' or some other mealy-mouthed way of excusing people from responsibility for their statements. Pinning responsibility is not her job, she maintains.

Refusing to call a lie a lie, however, only enables the liars: everyone knows that. People have died for these lies. Why enable the killers? Why is she still employed? Why do I continue to subscribe to this NY Sunday Times drek?

Elisabeth Bumiller makes me retch.