I know the most hard core leftists I know call Palast "One of America's best investigative journalists". That ranks him right up there with Michael Moore in my book.
I don't know if he is employed as a journalist, or what, if any, jobs he's had in the past as a journalism. I know he likes to make big accusations against people, but his accusations never seem to go anywhere. I don't know if he's ever right, or if he's just someone who likes to be in the press.
journalism = journalist