EconomistMom asks "Why Oh Why Can't We Have a Better Press Corps?"
She considers Mike Allen of Politico and Nedra Pickler of AP:
Does Fiscal Honesty Pay? | EconomistMom.com: The media are starting to paint a contrast between the Obama and McCain economic plans in terms of fiscal responsibility, pointing out that while “McCain promises to balance budget” (the headline of Mike Allen’s Politico article on Monday), “Obama won’t try for McCain’s budget goal” (the headline of Nedra Pickler’s AP analysis filed last night).
While deeper in, both articles express skepticism about Senator McCain’s ability to come through with said pledge... the opening lines and the first few paragraphs of each story--.e., the most noticed parts--lean favorably toward Senator McCain, suggesting the winning... strategy with the press is to make a claim that sounds bold and impressive, even if it... [is] incredible.
The Cliff Notes take-away as you skim the openings of both stories is of a stark choice: A McCain Administration that would (make tough choices to) eliminate the budget deficit, versus an Obama Administration that would increase government spending (on “critical investments”). The opening lines of the AP piece seem to almost bully Obama... and then goes on to suggest the stark choice voters face:
So what is more important in tough economic times? For the government to spend more to help hard-hit Americans or to eliminate a deficit that can lead to higher borrowing costs and slow the economy?
I find this contrast a bit misleading and unfair given that in reality, the Obama proposals for new SPENDING and new tax cuts aren’t necessarily more expensive than the McCain proposals for new spending and new TAX CUTS (and at this largely-theoretical point, could be even less expensive). It’s just that the Obama campaign is acknowledging that it’s a mathematical impossibility to both increase government spending and reduce the deficit, while the McCain campaign is claiming it’s not a mathematical impossibility to both cut taxes and reduce the deficit....
So unfortunately, fiscal honesty doesn’t seem to pay, not with the press at least. We’ll have to see how it goes over with the voters.
The reason for this, of course, is that neither Mike Allen nor Nedda Pickler believe that they have an obligation to inform their readers. And both Mike Allen and Nedda Pickler believe that their lives will be more unpleasant if they anger John McCain's political staff. Mike Allen's current and former boss John Harris described the process in an article in which he looked at his own coverage of th Republicans:
John Harris, May 6, 2001: Bush Catches a Washington Break: I was on the receiving end the other day of a harangue from Rahm Emanuel... who is not impressed by the news media.... "The Washington press corps has become like little puppy dogs," he said. "[Republicans] scratch them on the tummy and they roll right over."
[Emmanuel's] complaint had a note of self-pity -- How come you never gave us a break? -- that was characteristic of the Clintonites....
The truth is... [Bush] has done things with relative impunity that would have been huge uproars if they had occurred under Clinton.... [T]here is one big reason for Bush's easy ride: There is no well-coordinated corps of aggrieved and methodical people who start each day looking for ways to expose and undermine a new president. There was just such a gang ready for Clinton in 1993. Conservative interest groups, commentators and congressional investigators waged a remorseless campaign that they hoped would make life miserable for Clinton and vault themselves to power. They succeeded....
There are no newsroom deliberations about how "soft" or "mean" to be on a president.... But there's no denying that we give more coverage to stories when someone is shouting.... But Democrats... simply aren't as well organized. And they are not shouting as loudly...
There are, I think, two lines that need to be pursued for the country's and the world's sake:
- Close down the organizations that will employ ethics-free journamalists like Mike Allen and Nedra Pickler as fast as possible, and replace them with organizations that will employ people who regard informing the public as their principal mission...
- Meanwhile, make sure that it is less painful for Mike Allen and Nedra Pickler to do their jobs than to kneel before the Republican spinmasters...
