Althouse: "The simple logistics of access journalism—which by any sane reckoning, is the most debased and putrid form of campaign insiderism..."

October 21, 2016

"The simple logistics of access journalism—which by any sane reckoning, is the most debased and putrid form of campaign insiderism..."

"... never should dictate the character or volume of news coverage. Via the holy mandate of candidate access, a thousand journalistic sins get rationalized and pardoned without even a cursory nod to what public interest may be served—or, much more to the point, violated—by the frenetic jockeying of politics reporters to get behind a presidential campaign’s velvet-rope line."

Writes Chris Lehmann in a piece at The Baffler called "Trump TV?/CNN’s Jeff Zucker explains how he became Donald’s useful idiot."

24 comments:

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Yep. The leftwing pro-DNC hack media promoted Trump.

They knew what they were doing.; 10/21/16, 10:17 AM
mockturtle said...: The Dems have been masters at access journalism for many decades.; 10/21/16, 10:18 AM
Earnest Prole said...: I’m shocked, shocked to find debased and putrid campaign insiderism in this establishment; 10/21/16, 10:18 AM
Paddy O said...: I just want to say, apart from anything else, and I didn't even click the link: Jeff Zucker is a symbol of everything that is wrong with television today. Not just a symbol, he is a chief instigator.

He'll probably run for president next cycle.; 10/21/16, 10:18 AM
rhhardin said...: entertainment value—the chance that he’ll bellow a new round of bigoted slurs, or float new authoritarian immigration strictures, or hit upon some new way to debauch constitutional government and/or the female sex, or cruelly mimic a reporter’s disability.

I liked the cruel mimicking.; 10/21/16, 10:28 AM
YoungHegelian said...: After all the revelations from the various Wikileaks documents about how scads & scads of reporters sucked dick for the Hillary campaign, what does Chris Lehmann write his column about? Free air time to Trump by CNN because The Donald is "entertaining".

Chris, there's a whole, heapin, helpin' lot of scandal & shame to go around in your profession this election cycle. Maybe you oughtta look into it.; 10/21/16, 10:31 AM
rhhardin said...: It was said that Princess Di wasn't into physical comedy but that isn't completely true. There was the time she had a chair's legs on top of the coat she'd hung on it that was pretty good.

Then there was the Chicago reporter describing a suspected gas leak outside an elementary school in a breathless segment who got hit by a car. Who didn't enjoy that.; 10/21/16, 10:35 AM
Bob Boyd said...: self-right·eous
adjective

having or characterized by a certainty, especially an unfounded one, that one is totally correct or morally superior.; 10/21/16, 10:37 AM
rhhardin said...: The most vital bit of political correctness is to pretend news people are serious people.

Once that stops, PC can't survive. People start saying stuff that they think again.; 10/21/16, 10:49 AM
Earnest Prole said...: Here’s the Jeff Zucker clip I was looking for. “Your winnings, sir.”; 10/21/16, 10:51 AM
cubanbob said...: Writes Chris Lehmann in a piece at The Baffler called "Trump TV?/CNN’s Jeff Zucker explains how he became Donald’s useful idiot."

An arrogant moron ranting against a too clever-by-half guy's attempted to get the Republican's to elect whom they considered to be the most beatable candidate for Hillary. If the baffled baffler is getting into a panic about Trump then perhaps Trump just might pull it off. Or will Hillary win only within the margin of fraud?; 10/21/16, 10:54 AM
cubanbob said...: rhhardin said...
The most vital bit of political correctness is to pretend news people are serious people.

Once that stops, PC can't survive. People start saying stuff that they think again."

Win or lose just for that Trump has done a great public service.; 10/21/16, 10:56 AM
Darrell said...: If American journalists cared about America they'd off themselves.; 10/21/16, 10:57 AM
eric said...: More and more evidence is released every day about media bias towards Democrats. Not just bias, but taking their side and trying to help them get elected. Sharyl Attkisson is doing fantastic work keeping up with it. https://sharylattkisson.com/newsgate-2016/

And the lesson the media is learning from this? They gave too much coverage to the Republican.

We are doomed.; 10/21/16, 10:59 AM
Bob Boyd said...: @ Darrell

LOL!; 10/21/16, 11:05 AM
Nonapod said...: Our entire political process seems to be manipulated by garbage people who absolutely despise regular citizens and are doing everything they can to take advantage of their collective naivety. And all in order to install one of the most corrupt, conscienceless, venal women ever to the most powerful position in the world. Good times.; 10/21/16, 11:12 AM
traditionalguy said...: Trump is not running against Hillary. His victory will not be her loss. It will be the Media's loss.; 10/21/16, 11:13 AM
buwaya said...: The media are simply a mercenary tool.
They are centrally directed, like actors and extras in films, doing the will of their masters.
Any impression independent or spontaneous commentary is an illusion.

I like the analogy of the whole media, most clearly this year, as a regiment of Hessian mercenaries, marching in ranks and firing volleys on command.; 10/21/16, 11:22 AM
ngtrains said...: Earnest said

Here’s the Jeff Zucker clip I was looking for. “Your winnings, sir.”

Super quote; 10/21/16, 11:24 AM
hombre said...: Lehman obviously doesn't get it. It was incumbent upon Zucker and the Clinton News Network to pursue the Republican nomination for the only candidate whose negatives are comparable to Clinton's.

Alternatively, this may be a cover piece to obfuscate the media corruption by and for Hillary exposed by Wikileaks.; 10/21/16, 11:33 AM
ThreeSheets said...: I'm so old I remember when CNN didn't report on Saddam Hussein's atrocities because it didn't want to lose access.; 10/21/16, 11:48 AM
Rick said...: Of course the only example they can identify is Trump.

If they were smart wouldn't they consider how their complaints reflect worse on their team than on Trump? Even if their only reaction was to reword the complaint so it doesn't exactly describe Clinton?

It would be nice if they could learn and grow, but given who were talking about let's try to keep expectations realistic.; 10/21/16, 11:56 AM
gadfly said...: CNN found a cheap way to gain viewers for its least popular news network. Fox News was cleaning up, drawing 90+ percent of cable news viewers and CNN even trailed MSNBC.

All is fair when there is no conspiracy to chase. Striking is the big turnaround to attack Trump incessantly after Fox sucked up all of Donald's time on TV.; 10/21/16, 12:15 PM
Rosalyn C. said...: The article sounded like whining, big league, with a soupçon of effete leftist viciousness. I don't see the rationality of not covering a candidate for president unless you are working under the assumption that we're not a free country and we want an elite group to pick our candidates according to their requirements. Did CNN produce the election results and Trump's nomination? I don't think so. He was getting horrible press long before the Republican Convention, predictions of convention chaos and dirty tricks by Ted Cruz, etc.

The ironic bit of Chris Lehmann's article is that he compares Trump to a French puppet character Guignol (I admit I did not recall the reference). from wiki: "The use in French of 'guignol' as an insult meaning 'buffoon' is a curious misnomer, as Guignol is clever, courageous and generous; his inevitable victory is always the triumph of good over evil... Although often thought of as children's entertainment, Guignol's sharp wit and linguistic verve have always been appreciated by adults as well, as shown by the motto of a prominent Lyon troupe: 'Guignol amuses children… and witty adults' ".; 10/21/16, 12:18 PM