Enforcing the Liberal Media Omerta

Posted on | February 20, 2013 | 13 Comments

The other day, Jim Vandehei and Mike Allen of Politico published a long story about the dysfunctional relationship between the Obama administration and the White House press corps, saying that the lack of access and deliberate manipulation were making it difficult for reporters to do their jobs.

A basic rule of life: If you volunteer to be somebody’s doormat, you forfeit the right to complain about the footprints on your back.

The White House has merely exploited the unabashed fandom of the journalistic elite, which is so overwhelmingly liberal that they were only too happy for the opportunity to publish daily valentines to their presidential heartthrob. Predictably, this posture of eager sycophancy has not earned reporters the respect of those they flatter, and so White House correspondents — journalists at the very peak of professional prestige — are shocked to find themselves treated like rent-boys by the administration’s P.R. machinery. William Jacobson at Legal Insurrection is unsympathetic:

It certainly is true that Obama is good at manipulating the media, but I’m taking Obama’s side on this one. The media has proven itself willing subjects, with tingles and oohs and ahhs running wild since before Obama was elected the first time. . . .
Don’t blame Obama for your own failings.
Look in the mirror and ask why you are such a bunch of hypocritical sycophants who abandoned all pretense of journalistic integrity in order to get Obama elected twice.

Ah, but here comes The Enforcer: Charles Pierce at Esquire attacks Vandehei and Harris from their left flank, signaling that even the mildest media dissent against Dear Leader is unacceptable. Anyone in the D.C. press corps who actually does stray from the fawning pro-Obama herd will be targeted for destruction by MSNBC, by the left blogosphere, by Media Matters and Think Progress.

It’s these enforcer types — Commissars of the People’s Information Bureau, as it were — who make media reform impossible. That’s what Journolist was all about, and you may notice that the Washington Post hasn’t exactly kicked Ezra Klein to the curb.

Category: Media Bias

Comments

13 Responses to “Enforcing the Liberal Media Omerta”

MichaelJStedman
February 20th, 2013 @ 7:41 am

@smitty_one_each Remember the good old drays when the media was out to prick everyone’s sacred cow?
Peter Ingemi
February 20th, 2013 @ 8:02 am

And THAT’s Why we need my army of Stacy McCains as suggested here

http://datechguyblog.com/2013/02/20/6000-x-20-x-12-an-army-of-conservative-davids-or-stacy-mccains/
TC_LeatherPenguin
February 20th, 2013 @ 8:03 am

“A basic rule of life: If you volunteer to be somebody’s doormat, you forfeit the right to complain about the footprints on your back.”
“Ineffably Brutal™.”
JeffS
February 20th, 2013 @ 8:52 am

The Fourth Estate willingly and enthusiastically pledged obedience to the Ministry of Truth a long time ago. They have no reason to complain about the working conditions imposed by their masters.
JohnInMA
February 20th, 2013 @ 9:12 am

My favorite comment on all of this was a tweet from Iowahawk, essentially describing the matter as leg humping dogs complaining about access to the leg.

But seriously, it is foolish to think that the complaint itself is any sign of redemption or correction from the W.H. press concerning journalistic integrity and proper skepticism leading to investigative reporting. As Iowahawk’s tweet suggests, this ‘protest’, as it were, has nothing to do with dissatisfaction with policy, transparency, or any actions from the administration. It has everything to do with feeling left out of association with the “cool” gang. After all, I read that they willingly submitted to (agreed to?) a ten minute off-the-record session just to be able to see him and sniff the same air. Just like a pack of dogs. Only the dogs get busy sniffing something else….well, maybe some in the press do the same….metaphorically, of course.

Hard to take the whining seriously when you agree to a chit-chat period as a concession.
Bob Belvedere
February 20th, 2013 @ 9:38 am

These complaints are Doubleplusungood. Room 101 for the lot of ’em.
Bob Belvedere
February 20th, 2013 @ 9:41 am

I hate to disagree with the esteemed Iowahawk, but this wasn’t leg-humping, it was full-on fellation.
Da Tech Guy's Blog » Blog Archive 6000 x $20 x 12 = An Army of Conservative Davids (or Stacy McCains) » Da Tech Guy's Blog
February 20th, 2013 @ 9:46 am

[…] Update: Stacy McCain notes why the Army of Conservative Davids/?Stacy McCains is needed: […]
Neo
February 20th, 2013 @ 10:02 am

The Jedi Mind Trick only works on the “weak minded”
Adjoran
February 20th, 2013 @ 3:27 pm

Of course no one was punished in any tangible way for being a part of Journolist at ANY media outlet – even though it was overtly attempting to manage the news, propagandize the raw facts into a palatable leftist message.

And do not doubt it has been reconstituted since, probably immediately, but with more attention to screening for ideological purity. No more little punks like Weigel who feel butt-hurt at not being included in the Central Committee deliberations.
gwheelockvan
February 20th, 2013 @ 4:20 pm

The Obama / Media relationship is exactly like the classic Silver Daddy / Twink relationship. Except for the lack of soul kissing and lube.
DaveO
February 20th, 2013 @ 5:36 pm

The building that hosts the Politico has a CVS Pharmacy in it. It sells gels and creams to help Vandenhei and Allen with that rough feeling they get from the WH. Or, like Fluke, do they believe KY gel should be provided for free?
DYSPEPSIA GENERATION » Blog Archive » Enforcing the Liberal Media Omerta
February 22nd, 2013 @ 6:55 am

[…] The Other McCain blows the whistle. […]