Posted on 07/02/2012 6:25:28 AM PDT by Kaslin
As we take time on July 4th to celebrate the liberty we cherish as American, it's important to recognize the critical role a free press plays in surfacing the truth "we the people" need to exercise our civic duty. All politicians promise transparency but the lure of retaining power is more likely to produce fog and spin than clarity and truth. A competent, assertive, and impartial press is as important today as it has been at any point in our history.
To acknowledge the 40th anniversary of Watergate break-in and the critical role that the journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein played, the Ventura County Star invited its journalists to a local theater for a special screening of "All the President's Men." Watching effectively acknowledged the pivotal role journalists play in surfacing the truth and challenged all who attended to recommit to the critical mission professional journalists provide in a free republic.
As a young Republican who actually helped reelect President Nixon, it angered me that such crimes could be committed in the name of a party I supported. No matter what Nixon's other accomplishments, his desire to remain in power resulted in his own demise by breaking trust with the people and Constitution he swore to support and uphold.
Watching the movie, I marveled again at the creativity and dogged determination of Woodward and Bernstein as they followed their story to its fateful conclusion. America is better because of them, but were their efforts driven by courage and professionalism or more by their contempt for a president they didn't support?
For a liberal journalist to work overtime to bring down a Republican president takes no more courage than another Hollywood star endorsing President Obama. It takes courage and character to apply the same journalistic scrutiny to a politician they otherwise support.
Whether it’s patterns in voting, financial support, or political identification, journalists are significantly more liberal than the average American. According to a 2012 Pew Research Center study, the public perception of that bias is increasing with 67 percent of Americans now believing that there is a bias in news coverage. Journalists have every right to hold liberal views, but it makes their job of objective reporting more difficult.
The best professionals in any field work hard to overcome their own biases. With the questions swirling around the current administration's national security leaks and the stonewalling on the "Fast and Furious" investigation, we are in desperate need of this generation's Woodward and Bernstein. But will journalists work as hard to hold their own accountable?
In response to President Bush using executive privilege to protect internal deliberations between Carl Rove and the Attorney General Harriet Meyer over the firing of U.S special prosecutor attorneys, Senator Obama, in an interview with Larry King, advised, "There has been (attempts) on the part of this administration to try to hide behind executive privilege every time there's something a little shaky that's taking place. The administration would be best served by coming clean on this. There doesn't seem to be any national security issues involved...."
On the eve of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's contempt vote, President Obama, at the request of Attorney General Eric Holder, invoked executive privilege in taking the Congressional request for documents off limits. While executive privilege has been used by almost all presidents, whether this is an appropriate use to protect deliberative discussions with national security implications is not clear. With the House censure of Holder, the impasse now reached will ensure that getting at the truth will extend months beyond the coming election unless journalists do what Congress can't--get to the truth and provide transparency.
The Nixon administration initially minimized both the Watergate break-in and the administration's involvement. When Nixon invoked executive privilege, the courts ruled that executive privilege couldn't be used to protect potentially fraudulent activities. There are clearly unanswered questions and inconsistencies that must be addressed. Watergate involved political information. The Fast and Furious Operation contributed to the death of border agent Brian Terry and hundreds of innocent Mexican citizens. The national security leaks have also impacted the lives of double agents and informants.
Where are today's Woodward and Bernstein? If there are cover-ups or improprieties, will the liberal media prove as courageous and diligent in surfacing the truth on a candidate they personally support? Our republic depends on journalists with the strength and integrity to do just that. May it be so.
They’re uncovering proof that Bush and Abraham Lincoln planned 9/11.
Editing and fabricating material to smear conservatives.
The mediots are to the Left of the Democrat Party. In fact, the DNC is just the political wing of the media.
“Where are today’s Woodward and Bernstein?”
Maybe we could consider Breitbart and O’keffe our Woodward and Bernstein.
The answer to the headline’s question is that they are still among us. The media was in the tank for the Democrats in the early 70’s the same way they are today. If Watergate occured with lets say Humphrey as president, Woodward and Bernstein would have reported it as nothing to see, move along. Investigative reporters have turned a blind eye to the Left for the last at least 60 years, if not more.
Obviously the answer is there has never been an unbiased media, ever. Woodward and Bernstein were doing the work of the DNC. The current crop of MSM “super stars” continues to do that work.
In the former case, it meant attacking a Republican administration. Today it means defending a Democrat one.
I believe that humans need spirituality. When they are schooled to think that traditional 2000-year-old religion is the opiate of the people, they turn to other outlets for their spirituality.
I know for a fact that many journalists today have a religious fervor for the democrap party. In their minds, it’s the party that provides charity; it’s the group that is more open-minded and kind-hearted. It’s Bobby Kennedy with the tousled hair, looking good and proud at the podium, throwing the peace sign, and then being crucified on his way out the door.
I actually had a television reporter send me an email during the 2008 primaries about how I ought to vote for John Edwards, because he was reminiscent of Bobby Kennedy. (This reporter just assumed I was a democrap.)
Journalists also have a silent understanding among themselves that they are all members of the same army (religion). If they find out you are not a foot-soldier, you are shunned.
So anyway, there is no Woodward or Bernstein in the old-time press to go after a democrap. It would be heresy.
And while I’m at it — we have to quit referring to the old-time press as the mainstream press. They ain’t mainstream anymore. You’re looking at a part of the new mainstream right here, buddy.
Considering your history, you could get a job on that boat. In a very small way, you yourself have been throwing your own very tiny life perservers for the last few months.
better question: Where is today’s “deep throat”
Taking a vacation until a Republican gets in office.
Now can we have a hard question?
I prefer my creation, “Mediot” encapsulating media, mediocre, and idiot. I also like crapcaster.
We had Breitbart. He’s dead, though. Survivors of his group are pretty good, though.
Words like duplicity, double standard, and hypocracy mean noth-
ing anymore. Universities don’t produce aspiring journalists. In-
stead they graduate journo-activists and are proud of it. And, Wood-
ward and Bernstein don’t ever wonder where the next Woodward and
Bernstein are coming from because they are part of the problem.
2. Giving Debbie Wasserman a bikini wax.
3. Interviewing Rielle Hunter to find out if Edwards also combs his pubic hairs.
4. In the Lincoln bedroom trying on Mocchella's Boob-Belts.
5. Passed out from all-night hooker and scotch sessions with the Secret Service.
Interesting headline coming from the same site that censors eligibility articles.
They know they will get no praises from the MSM or be heroes at DC Cocktail parties if they try to bring down a democrat
Woodward & Bernstein were, like their employer, publisher, editors, and associates, animated by animus for Nixon. Woodward had been looking for dirt for at least two years (probably closer to 4) before the Watergate break-in. The point is that W&B and their ilk are just about the entire media corps. Dan Rather ran into a bit of a problem, but his motivation sprang from the same need to ruin a president.
Running journ-O-list.
Their names are Vanderboegh and Codrea. They broke the Fast and Furious story. And, oh by the way, they're BLOGGERS.
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