Eric Boehlert (Salon): Katrina jolts the press

[Jack Rabbit]

From Salon.com (Subscription or Day Pass Required)
Dated Wednesday September 7

Katrina jolts the press
Why has it taken thousands of hurricane fatalities to finally wake up reporters?
By Eric Boehlert

Frustrated news consumers are supposed to be cheering that the national press corps has finally awaken from its five-year, self-induced slumber, opting to play hardball with the Bush administration by actually holding officials accountable in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe. Stunned by what they have witnessed firsthand in the Big Easy cesspool, reporters, especially television news correspondents, are leading the sense of outrage and bringing back some welcome passion to their trade.

Their poignant outbursts have been noted, and in some cases toasted, by the New York Times, the New York Observer, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the BBC, Slate and Salon, among others, as signs of a renewed media vigor. "Amidst the horror, American broadcast journalism just might have grown its spine back, thanks to Katrina," the BBC declared.

Indeed, there was CNN's Anderson Cooper interrupting a Louisiana pol on live TV. There was ABC's Ted Koppel grilling Michael Brown, the bewildered chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. There was NBC's Tim Russert barking, "How could the president be so wrong, so misinformed?" And there was the White House press corps undressing White House spokesman Scott McClellan in Tuesday's bare-knuckle press briefing.

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[Love Bug]

1. Well, it's about fucking time!

Frankly, I don't feel sorry for any trauma any of them have experienced in Katrina because they helped ENABLE Bush.

Tim Russert, how can YOU be so wrong, so misinformed?

Hope this sticks but I doubt it. Most of them will be back on their knees soon.