Is the American News Media Up to the Task? Will They Be Dan Rather or Judy Miller?

[McCamy Taylor]

We all know what their task is---publicize the corruption of the Trump regime in order to salvage what is left of American democracy. Not prosecute. Not impeach. All they have to do is spread the word. Are they up to it? Will the individual reporters at the New York Times be able to resist the lure of White House "exclusives"? Or, will we soon see a new generation of Judy Millers? Once Trump and Co. get their act together---no, make that if Trump and Co. ever get their act together---their Bureau of Disinformation under Herr Bannon/Goebbels will begin releasing stories. The stories will be 1) designed to create a smoke screen behind which Trump and Co. can tear up the constitution and deplete the U.S. tax coffers and 2) smear Democratic politicians and candidates in the run up to the 2018 midterm elections. Because the only thing standing between Trump and the I word is the GOP House and Senate. If even one of those two bodies flips in 2018, 2019 will see the start of Congressional hearings that will land Trump and Co. in jail. And Trump and Co. will do literally anything to avoid jail. But to do it, they will need the guys and gals in the press.

What will it be? Beating the Drums of War a la Karl Rove in 2002---the mainstream media went right along with that one---and in the process managed to shut down the Senate Enron hearings. What? You almost forgot about Enron? The biggest criminal conspiracy involving public figures this millennium? You forgot it because the press did not do its job. What was the press doing when the report blaming the Bush administration for collusion in Enron's price gouging of California was released in 2013? It was covering the war in Iraq.

Will the press do it again? Will it allow itself to be distracted by bits of dangling string and shiny trinkets held up by Trump and Bannon? I am afraid they will.

Sigh.

It is time for a new breed of journalist. And by new breed, I mean an old breed. Dan Rather, here's looking at you, kid.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. The short answer is, by and large, no. We need some singular courageous, smart ones to step out

Rachel Maddow seems to be doing so from what I read, O'Donnell - and in e-media, Josh Marshall and his TPM crew and some at Slate.

But it will take more.

[Javaman]

2. like most of the media, they will play both ends against the middle.

they get better ratings that way.

you know, Truthy-ness