A New Low in Journalism

During the 2008 Presidential Campaign, I, like many, were simply appalled by the media’s absolute fawning and teenage-like crush over, then-candidate, Barack Obama. Everything from Chris Matthews’ leg tingle to Andrea Mitchell’s shameless shilling made me believe that the last bastion of the mass media’s journalistic integrity slipped away with the passing of Tim Russert.

Unfortunately for all of us, I was woefully incorrect. The new low hit yesterday during CNN’s and MSNBC’s covering of the tea party demonstrations around the country.

Whether you agree with the tea party campaign or not, it is still a valid form of grassroots, political opposition to the actions of our government and thus, should be reported that way.

Did MSNBC and CNN view it that way?

Absolutely not.

Instead of reporting it as a legitimate news story, they treated it like a crude sex joke at a frat house.

If you are not aware, “tea bagging” is slang for a sexual act performed between a man and a woman. I’m not going to describe it any further. If you want to find out what it is, just Google it.

In case you’re interested, here are some examples of what I’m talking about:

"It's hard to talk when you're tea bagging."-CNN anchor Anderson Cooper

"Tea bagging day for the right wing and they are going nuts for it."

"They want to give President Obama a strong tongue-lashing and lick government spending."

Also described the parties as simultaneously "full-throated" and "toothless" -MSNBC reporter David Shuster

Also, while not sexually charged, but equally delusional…

"I think you get the general tenor of this. It's anti-government, anti-CNN since this is highly promoted by the right-wing conservative network Fox."-CNN reporter Susan Roesgen

Seriously? This is what passes as “journalism” and “reporting” nowadays?

Listen, if someone like Keith Olbermann or Rachel Maddow wants to rant about the “simpletons” and “sheep” (their words, not mine) that attend these gatherings, that’s fine with me. They are political commentators, not reporters. It is their jobs to give their opinions on political stories, not report the news.

However, what happened yesterday shows that reporting the news has taken a back seat to political ideologues posing in the guise of legitimate news reporters and anchors passing their judgment on events, people and groups that they’re supposed to remain neutral towards. That is not political journalism, that is political activism.

Hmm…I can only wonder why CNN and MSNBC continue to lag in ratings.

Don’t believe me? See for yourself by looking at the cable news ratings from April 15 (the numbers in parentheses are the number of viewers…thanks Drudge!):

FOXNEWS 3,390,000
MSNBC 1,210,000
CNN 1,070,000
CNN HEADLINE 909,000

FOXNEWS O'REILLY 3,980,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY 3,239,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 2,947,000
FOXNEWS BECK 2,740,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 2,401,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 2,185,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,499,000
CNNHN GRACE 1,336,000
CNN KING 1,292,000
MSNBC MADDOW 1,149,000
CNN COOPER 1,021,000

This also demonstrates the Left’s favorite pastime of trying to discredit a group of people that don’t follow their beliefs with ridicule and profanity.

I guess when you have nothing else to argue with, you can only resort to the lowest common denominator.

That’s all for now folks. Until next time, take care and be well.

-John