Should some journalists and officials take some blame?

[Serial Mom]

Over the past 10 years (or even longer) those who are given rights under of Constitution were supposed to be the "watchdogs" of government, journalists mainly, but some legislators or government officials, learn about, take part in and know lies, secrets, corruption, idiocy, etc and DON'T REPORT it to the people (of the people, by the people FOR the people?!?).

THEY WRITE BOOKS 1 -2 or 3 years AFTER THE FACT to make money instead of putting it on the front page of every newspaper or internet or TV headline story! :wtf:

From Bob Woodward to Frank Rich to Paul O'Neill to Jeremy Scahill to Jon Alter to Chris Matthews to Richard Haass to Scott McClellan to (on and on and on and on and on).

Could any of this mess we are in been stopped a little earliers IF any one of these types of people stepped up to the plate and told the truth of what was going on AT THE MOMENT?

[gratuitous]

1. Of course not

And for even suggesting such a thing . . . What did YOU know, Serial Mom, and when did you know it???

[Serial Mom]

2. I don't mean what did they know and when...

I worked for a newspaper and you are given the freedom and protection of your sources under Contstitution and it was created to be a watchdog of government. So when they know something illegal or corrupt is going on, they have a responsibility to report it to the citizens of this government.

So when they hold back that somebody IN THE GOVERNMENT lied or committed an illegal act, it is their obligation to report it, not collect information to sell a book next year!

And I do blame some journalists for just taking "notes" at county board meetings (locally here is what I am speaking about now) instead of investigating what the discusssions meant and search for expert advise on how it would affect the taxpayer and reporting that!

And I will suggest this type of thing when I know what happened here locally could have been stopped if the corporate owned newspaper had done a better job. I have ALSO seen where our local newspaper has won awards and DONE EXCELLENT reporting when finding the facts about something government was doing.

So gratuitous, who are you to question me!??!?!?

[gratuitous]

5. My sarcastometer is on the fritz

You are 100% correct. We now are treated to the spectacle of "journalists" whose default setting is "off the record," per St. Tim Russert. His worthy successor is Dancing David Gregory, who doesn't feel that it's part of his job as a journalist to ask questions or follow up on answers that are patent bullshit.

Hell, I'm just a guy with a modem on the ass-end of the country, and there are times when I know I'm better informed than the overpaid courtiers posing with their steno pads or bloviating on the teevee. Why these alleged professionals feel the need to keep protecting sources who've lied to them is the book I'm waiting to see written.

[MADem]

3. Go back further. It has always been thus.

"Journalists" knew that JFK was romping with girlfriends and prostitutes in the WH pool. They knew that LBJ was fiddling in the typing pool as well. They knew that FDR couldn't walk, at all, but they didn't say, now, did they?

We mind it less when they're skimming over the bad shit about "our" guy. "The other guy?" That's another story.

"Journalists" love access. They cut corners to get it, and keep it.

[emulatorloo]

4. Matthews was pretty hot and heavy on Yellow Cake and the "16 words" at the time

it happened.

Scooter Libby called Russert all upset about it and tried to get Russert to shut him down. Matthews kept on it.

(Note - that was the phone call that Libby later claimed Russert told him about Plame being CIA)

[underpants]

6. Judith Miller is first in line

Russert is gone since he was such a swell guy we aren't supposed to point out that he was the Bush campaign conduit to fix it so that their campaign manager in Florida was the one that counted the only votes that matter and we aren't supposed to point out that he let all the Bushies come on his greatly influential TV show and cite their own leaks as proof as their wild assertions so I won't bring that up.