With a few exceptions, those who are charitably termed "journalists" are at least

[Atticus]

partially responsible for Trump and, dammit, if you want to argue with that assertion, please take it somewhere else. I have neither the time nor the patience to list all of the reasons why that is transparently true, but will mention only that it took---what?---three years before the TV talking heads started calling Trump's proven lies "lies". But, this is, as they say, "water under the bridge". With the addled acquiescence of pundits and commentators and consultants, Donald J. Trump, the most spectacularly craven, corrupt, incompetent and mentally ill person in our nation's history is squatting in and befouling the White House.

My point? Not a whole lot has changed about the media.

This "fair and balanced", "neutral", "objective", "respectful" methodology has bled journalism dry of one of our democracy's essential ingredients: PASSION!

Does no one ever get outraged these days? Is there nothing Trump or his thugs could do or say that would piss off a newsreader who was a human being? Does anything disgust political commentators?

While it would ring true if a talking head was to call Trump a lying, arrogant, ignoramus---or worse and more "colorful"---I understand that will not happen. But, outrages---and there are too many to list---do not just become normal with repetition and the passage of time. It is STILL an inhumane outrage that the Trump regime kidnapped children from their parents, CAGED them and the LOST some of them! When is the last time you heard it publicized?

It is STILL a national embarrassment that many of our long-time allies find Trump an offensive laughingstock.

Trump is STILL so incurious and ignorant that there is simply no rational way to explain or justify his position or one iota of respect.

We know what Johnson and Nunes and Graham their accomplices are about. Why did we have to find and then connect the dots? Is this not what our "free press" is supposed to do?

Yes, we do have our Maddows and Coopers and Tappers and Cuomos. But, too many on the air are just filling their time with buzzwords and trite questions. This is not a game. There is very little about this regime that is not disgusting and outrageous. Don't report it with a resigned smile. Don't adopt that "Whatcha gonna do?" attitude. Don't even imply that "When the president does it, it's not against the law".

You don't have to tell me you're "pissed off" but, please, every now and then, show me that you are.

[Grasswire2]

1. Just for the record...

....where do you usually get your news?

Knowing that is helpful to this discussion.

[Sherman A1]

4. I don't know about the OP but I use these sources

NPR, PBS, BBC, DW, The Christian Science Monitor and Al Jazeera as my main sources of news. My opinion of Cable Noise is just that, Noise which is mostly blather and I really don't need to hear.

[Atticus]

5. I'm tempted to "go Palin" and say "Oh, all of them!", but I primarily watch MSNBC, CNN AND

PBS.

[Grasswire2]

2. And it is important to remember this:

Decades ago, the White House Correspondents Association ceded its credentialing authority for news organizations to the press office itself. And so a reporter has no protection of his/her access.

Reporters covering Congress have access codified in Senate rules. Nothing similar exists for WH reporters.

The balance of power that initially existed does not. The WH can punish, ban, exclude certain reporters, or provide favors to some.

It used to be that there was a protocol in which reporter was granted questions, too. The AP reporter was considered paramount, and always got the first question. (Think Helen Thomas)

This could be resolved with a resolution of Congress establishing the Association as the credentialing authority and providing structure to the process again.

Currently, the WHCA president is Jon Karl, a patsy for Trump.

[Laelth]

7. Excellent post. Thank you. n/t

-Laelth

[smirkymonkey]

3. Hear, hear!

I, for one, think it would be much better for ratings if these journalists got more of a backbone and started acting more like Jonathan Swan and Chris Wallace and stopped letting him get away with his lies and bullshit.

There are at least 65% of the American public who are dying to hear journalists speak truth to power and to take this motherfucker down and hold him accountable. If they want to see ratings, give their journalists free reign and allow them to have at it. I am sick of seeing them being bullied and walking away with their tails between their legs. I want to see some fight in them.

[madamesilverspurs]

6. Which is why . . .

[betsuni]

8. If I remember correctly, at least some of the media apologized for their bullshit about Al Gore,

constantly smirkingly insinuating he was a big liar, "exaggerating." Haven't noticed any apology about their email bullshit, constantly insinuating Hillary was a criminal and liar.

What's a little mysterious to me is that if media want ratings, if that's the most important thing, isn't in their interest to go after Trump and all the juicy, wild sensational stories about him?

[lunatica]

9. That's about how I feel lately too

Thanks for voicing your frustration! Ditto!

[The Wizard]

10. The first reporter who

calls him out on his lying by telling him to shut the fuck up wins the Pulitzer.