As for the big Cheney story...
So what if there was a delay in the story to the press? I really don't believe that 2% of the public cares that the White House press did not get the story before a day had gone by. Is the Washington press upset that a local news media got the story first? I honestly believe that the media is serving their own egos more than the public interest.
Would the White House press rather have the man lie bleeding in the weeds until after a press conference was held? When the time was right for the story to go to the public, it was done as truthfully, honestly, and fairly as you could probably ask for – what more can the media or the public want?
Now, this is not to say that Cheney or the White House did everything correct and above board either. But no matter how they would have handled it, the press would have had a heyday. As for Cheney's involvement in the matter, should the media crucify him for an accident? I believe that they should first review the definition of the word accident in Websters.
If this weeks blog sounds like a rant rather than an objective view, I suppose it is – similar to what the press is appearing to do. I’m sure that’s not really true, but I truly think that is what a lot of the public thinks.
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3 comments:
Here's some more food for thought about the Cheney situation from the Poynter Online (journalism think tank) discussion boards:
Cheney's birdshot
Posted by David Keim 2/13/2006 1:36:52 PM
Given that the vice president's office didn't confirm that he shot a hunting companion until a reporter asked, would it be logical for the Washin... Given that the vice president's office didn't confirm that he shot a hunting companion until a reporter asked, would it be logical for the Washington press corps to ask if the vice president has shot anybody else without public knowledge?
If the weekend's official silence represents a policy or procedure, does it mean that, going forward, reporters are obligated to ask in their daily White House briefings, "Has the Vice President (or any other high-ranking White House official) shot anybody in the past 24 hours?"
Or are we to rely on the owners of hunting land to announce such gun incidents, should there be any similar unfortunate occurrences in the future?
Posted by Scott Reeder 2/13/2006 11:01:22 AM
Here is the question I haven't seen addressed in the media concerning the Dick Cheney hunting accident:... Here is the question I haven't seen addressed in the media concerning the Dick Cheney hunting accident:
How on earth did the Secret Service lose track of an armed hunter within gunshot range of the vice president?
Think about it. Dick Cheney shoots another hunter who is coming out of weeds. Wasn't anyone in the security detail keeping track of where this armed man was in proximity to the man next in line to the presidency?
If a fellow hunter had wanted to do the vice president some harm, would there have been anything standing in his way?
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Here's a link to more opinions on this one:
In case you missed this from Ted Pease's Word of the Day for today:
Journalism's Three C's:
"I have a lot of pals on both sides of the aisle. I worked with President Clinton, enjoyed him, President Bush, President Carter, good people doing good things. But let me tell you, you'll never find it if you just follow the Washington media. You'll never know the good -- all you'll get is controversy, crap, and confusion."
--Retired U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson, R-Wyo., discussing the media froth over Vice President Dick Cheney's hunting accident, on Fox News, 2006
And here I thought that CCC stood for Cavalcade of Compassionate Contempt.
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