Why Oh Why Can't We Have a Better Press Corps?
Outsourced to the Daily Howler:
A CARTOON PRESS CORPS: Only Elisabeth Bumiller could overlook the mordant humor in her presentation. At the start of this morning's "White House Letter," she describes the press corps' conduct during a recent plane ride:
BUMILLER (5/22/06): Reporters en route to Arizona on Air Force One last week opted to watch the movie ''King Kong'' in the press cabin. Not so Tony Snow, the new White House press secretary and former Fox News commentator, who told reporters that he spent the flight in the staff cabin watching Gen. Michael V. Hayden's confirmation hearings to be the new C.I.A. director--on CNN.
Got milk--and cookies? While Snow watches Hayden's confirmation hearings, the "press corps" chooses King Kong!
Readers, let's review: It's the middle of a work day. An important hearing is under way. The press corps is stuck on a long plane ride. And they choose to watch an inane, year-old movie! Only Bumiller could offer this fact and fail to see the dark humor involved--the portrait it paints of her hapless cohort, the people who steward our discourse.