Glenn Greenwald: Politico reviews the year in American "political journalism"

[babylonsister]

Glenn Greenwald
Saturday Dec. 27, 2008 10:15 EST
Politico reviews the year in American "political journalism"


Politico's media reporter, Michael Calderone, does an unintentionally superb job of conveying the vapid, wretched soul of the American political media, with his list of what he calls -- without any irony at all -- "The Top Ten Political Scoops of 2008":

(1) Katie Couric's interview of Sarah Palin (CBS)

(2) McCain can't say how many homes he owns (Politico)

(3) Obama's "bitter" comment (Huffington Post)

(4) Sarah Palin's shopping spree (Politico)

(5) Turmoil in the Clinton camp (Washington Post and Atlantic -- "The behind-the-scenes tension was captured by the reporters in one memorable exchange: '{Expletive} you!' Ickes shouted. '{Expletive} you!' Penn replied. '{Expletive} you!' Ickes shouted again.")

(6) Jeremiah Wright tapes (ABC News)

(7) The Pentagon's military analyst program (NY Times)

(8) Bickering in the McCain camp (NY Times Magazine)

(9) John Edwards' affair (National Enquirer)

(10) Powell endorses Obama (Meet the Press)

It's genuinely disappointing that the intense controversy over Barack Obama's anemic bowling score and lapel pin, the riveting analysis of Hillary Clinton's laugh and her cleavage displays, and Brian Ross' groundbreaking work in analyzing Hillary's White House schedules in order to determine where exactly she was at the moment when Bill was with Monica Lewinsky, failed to at least merit an Honorable Mention by Politico.

Most notably, the only story on Politico's list that actually mattered in any meaningful way and to which one can apply the term "scoop" with a straight face -- namely: David Barstow's superb exposé on the Pentagon's domestic propaganda program -- was the only story of the 10 that didn't receive endless attention from our nation's television journalists. To the contrary, it was blackballed entirely. There's the central axiom driving coverage by our American media: the more significant a matter it is, the less attention it receives (if one wants to be generous, one could also include the Couric-Palin interview as a marginally meaningful story).

more...

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Shalitico.

[babylonsister]

2. Ewww. Yes, that's about right most of the time. nt

[gratuitous]

3. That IS a wretched list

Number 7 is the only thing on there that rated any attention the week after it was over, and Greenwald's comment is spot-on: It was the only story among those 10 that didn't get the full overblown media treatment. Every other story on that "scoop" list barely merited a sidebar mention in a one-day feature on any particular campaign. Bickering amongst aides! Turmoil in a campaign! Wow, these things have NEVER EVER happened before! Wowee!

And this passes for a list of "top" "scoops" for the 2008 political season. Just pathetic.