With all the bitching going on about Couric

[Bluzmann57]

and others, I have two questions for DUers. Besides Olberman, are there any television people out there who meet with your "standards" and just what do you all want in media? Me? I want fairness, if Edwards or whomever gets grilled hard, then so should a republican. Also, if a Democrat does something wrong, it needs to be reported on, as it should be when a republican does something wrong. I tend to agree with Michael Moore when he says that the media people may not be conservative or liberal, just lazy. I also think that an awful lot of the griping about the media, on both sides, is a matter of perception. If a news reader says something negative about a Democrat, people start screaming "conservative!", and same thing when a republican is portrayed negatively, "Liberal media!". Just read the news and have enough faith in us to decide things.

[RB TexLa]

1. I just think the attitude that people have to put family in front of their work

is insulting to those of use who care about work and our careers.

[WiseButAngrySara]

5. Couric put her career before her husband's cancer, did

she not? Why shouldn't she be accused of using her husband's illness to gain sympathy to enhance her career?

[obaman08]

17. Edwards is not putting his work ahead of his family..

He is trying to serve his country to protect his and American families future! Not my candidate, but at least tell it right

[RB TexLa]

18. I said nothing about John Edwards

I was talking about this assumption that putting work before family is such a horrible thing.

[bryant69]

2. I agree with Michael Moore too

And you too for that matter. If you are ideologically driven though, you may not realize it. You may believe that an honest looking around at the world supports your position, and thus are frustrated that the news fails to reflect what you see.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Catherine Vincent]

3. The problem is that when these journalists play the devils advocate

while interviewing, you don't see them doing the same to the other folks on the aisle. At least that's how I see it.

[ClassWarrior]

4. One, from a purely objective perspective...

...she used a cowardly journalistic trick, hiding sources that would taint her questions if they were revealed. That kind of behavior on the part of people charged with uncovering facts is just plain wrong, whether on the left or right.

Second, off the top of my head, I'd say Amy Goodman (and the DN! team) and David Shuster are right up there with Olbermann.

NGU.

[Virginian]

15. Don't forget David Gregory

Snow bashes him all the time for being "Partisan" -- even when Gregory is reading a quote.


Katie is accused by both sides of being a shill for the other. I remember when the book about the slanted liberal media was released, Curic's interview of the author, Coulter. Curic was blasted as always being mean to republics. They got into a strong discussion. Later, the right was saying Coulter won, the left was saying Curic won. That was the only time I remember the left saying anything positive about Katie.

[npincus]

6. browbeating a terminally ill woman and her husband transcends politics

it's a question of decency and fairness. And, in Couric's case HYPOCRISY... she worked throughout her husband's terminal ilness and nobody had the poor taste and indecency to question her motivation or commitment to her family.

Liberal shimberal. This one merits calling out by ALL fair and decent people of any political party. Even the ultra RW Laura Ingraham has come out in support of Elizabeth and John Edwards' decion to carry on.

[Captain Hilts]

7. Must we say "bitching?" How about griping, kvetching, harping....etc. nt

[peace13]

8. Katy literally jumped on her desk and crossed her legs at the end

of one of her first 'newscasts'. You tell me what kind of a job she does. I don't want to have a beer with my president and I want my news to come from someone that at least has a professional demeanor.

[Bitwit1234]

But other than Olbermann

name one other democrat/liberal commentator on TV. There is absolutely none. So don't tell me the media isn't republican biased.

[gatorboy]

10. Oh, well there's Glenn Beck?

Hannity? O'Reilly? Tucker? Scarborough?


Gosh, this is hard!

[Bitwit1234]

9. But other than Olbermann

name one other democrat/liberal commentator on TV. There is absolutely none. So don't tell me the media isn't republican biased.

[TwilightGardener]

11. Right on. I want fairness for both sides in the media, or we will base

our political conclusions and voting decisions on something less than reality. And for all those posters who keep pointing out that Katie didn't suspend her own career to take care of her husband, my response is: The interview was about the Edwardses, not Katie, or what Katie did 10 years ago, or Katie's husband's cancer. I did not see the interview, but I am gleaning this from all the comments posted since. Giving the Edwardses the opportunity to explain their decision can't be anything but beneficial to them. Asking hard questions that most Americans may be privately thinking helps them clear the air with their answers. I don't know if it was skewed or not, but it's hard to imagine John and Elizabeth would come off as anything but good and brave people who are doing their best in the face of tragic news, no matter what we think of Couric.

[peace13]

12. With regard to your comments about the Edwards

As you said you did not see the article. The point being made was yes, the Edwards were congenial and wonderful with their answers but it was not necessary for Couric to continue bashing them on the head with one question phrased differently over and over again. It was an odd thing coming from someone who had been in the exact same position but was never asked to justify how she dared to continue her life. Had you seen it you may have felt differently. In the whole scheme of things it really doesn't matter. Lives of Innocent people are splattered across the streets of this planet without much notice on a daily basis.

[cgrindley]

13. What do you mean?

you say "people" but I'm not sure if you mean pundits, commentators, actual reporters, or perhaps just news readers... could you clear it up?

[Tsiyu]

14. If i saw Couric treating a Republic couple the way she treated

John and Elizabeth Edwards, I would be just as upset.

There is a way to treat other humans and a way NOT to treat them, and Couric and much of the mainstream media do not seem to get it.

How many times do we need to hear an interviewer ask, "How did you feel when you found out your wife had cancer?" or "How did you feel when your house and all of your earthly belongings were washed away in the flood?" or "How did you feel when you found out your son got eaten by ants?" Well, how the hell would anyone feel?

Do reporters think we're all idiots, or are they just so disconnected from Real Life they ask these questions to satisfy their own curiosity about how the lower people live?

I stay away from the media normally. But I wanted to see for myself what the Edwards had to say. i was disgusted by Couric's attitude toward them, as I would be were she grilling ANY couple facing cancer, no matter their political leanings.

[stillcool]

16. What do I want in media?...

Journalists would be nice...especially those that practice investigative journalism. Ordinary Joes and Janes providing something called news. The where, why, how, and when, and the sources used to determine the answers. The only news I can tolerate is local. Everything else is a joke. Call me crazy, but mean-spirited, divisive commentary, especially of the ear-bleeding Pat Buchanan, Chris Matthews kind, has no redeeming qualities. It is counter-productive if my goal is to ascertain what is going on in the world. Perhaps I am just not easily entertained.