Greenwald takes Tim Russert apart piece by piece in his post on Cronkite. Good stuff.

[Hamlette]

Despite that, media stars will spend ample time flamboyantly commemorating Cronkite's death as though he reflects well on what they do (though probably not nearly as much time as they spent dwelling on the death of Tim Russert, whose sycophantic servitude to Beltway power and "accommodating head waiter"-like, mindless stenography did indeed represent quite accurately what today's media stars actually do). In fact, within Cronkite's most important moments one finds the essence of journalism that today's modern media stars not only fail to exhibit, but explicitly disclaim as their responsibility.

. . .

In the hours and hours of preening, ponderous, self-serving media tributes to Walter Cronkite, here is a clip you won't see, in which Cronkite -- when asked what is his biggest regret -- says (h/t sysprog):

What do I regret? Well, I regret that in our attempt to establish some standards, we didn't make them stick. We couldn't find a way to pass them on to another generation.

It's impossible even to imagine the likes of Brian Williams, Tom Brokaw and friends interrupting their pompously baritone, melodramatic, self-glorifying exploitation of Cronkite's death to spend a second pondering what he meant by that.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/07/18/cronkite/index.html

(It's not long, treat yourself to the whole thing. Lots to think about especially in light of the email to Sanford wherein Tappert and Gregory were caught agreeing to show Sanford in a favorable light if he'd just give them an interview.)

[BlooInBloo]

1. Clearly we need a blogger ethics panel.

[lunatica]

2. Thanks you for posting this

I agree with Greenwald completely. I agree with him about Tim Russert and was sickened when he got such accolades from others who call themselves journalists.

[Hamlette]

3. It seemed to me that Olbermann was not slobering the first time I saw him

after Tim's death. More matter of fact about it. The next day, seems to me, it was non stop "Tim was our god". I can't help but think someone told him he needed to get on the band wagon. I remember tuning to his show thinking at least KO will be sane about this but no, by the second day he was among the worst.

The line in the article about how if more than 2 people go to your funeral and you were a reporter it shows you were a failure.

True.

[indepat]

18. Why is it so hard for so many not to have realized Tim's "sycophantic servitude to beltway power?"

:P

[chimpymustgo]

19. Because Tim was great at the GUISE of journalism. The supposed tough questions.

Till you really listen to them. Till you compare the difference in tone between his interviews with Bush and Gore in 2000. Till you realize the lack of follow-up questions to Rove and Cheney and the neocons. Till you realize how expertly the Kabuki dance unfolds - with G.E. appearing to be the tough, ink-stained journo, with the neo-con spending an hour spouting right-wing war-mongering ideology.

Tim was revered by the chattering classes because he had perfected the technique of doing his masters' bidding nonpareil.

[Hawkowl]

28. I HATED Tim Russert

His sham journalism and pompous know it all attitude while licking the boots of his interviewees made me vomit.

[depakid]

5. Not just folks calling themselves journalists

but a ton of people right here on this site.

[Joe Bacon]

4. It's precisely what Tim the Whore deserved!

When Walter Cronkite spoke, I believed him.

Now when any of these interchangeable Press Whores appear on TV, I know they are lying.

[tularetom]

6. Somehow I can't picture Fat Timmeh going to Iraq

learning some shit on his own, then coming back and confronting Cheney by telling him the war was a failure and the administration was lying about it to the American people.

Russert was a shill. Unworthy to wipe Walter Cronkite's ass.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

8. Well put.

[jefferson_dem]

7. Perfect.

Let's all use Cronkite's passing as a vehicle to smear an also-deceased colleague of his. Mr. Cronkite would surely be proud.

Aside from the slimy low-brow hit on Russert, Greenwald's piece is right on. Guess he couldn't resist...

[lunatica]

9. Russert was exactly the way Greenwald describes him

He only looked like a bulldog bearing down on a toy poodle, but he was fluff. Watch his interviews with Cheney and see how he lets Cheney get away with one blatant lie after another. He let Cheney steer the whole interview and pretended to the audience that he was in charge. He was just like every other ass kisser in Washington. Russert was a fucking hollywood star in DC. A personality who rubbed elbows with the powerful to make sure they were accessible.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

12. Mr. Cronkite might differ, but I have a very hard time thinking of him and Russert as "colleagues."

[elehhhhna]

24. lol, then think of Walter C plus Chuck Todd -- you'll throw up!

[Arkana]

29. Chuck Todd is truly a disappointment to me.

If he had stuck purely with the by-the-numbers analysis he was so good at, he'd be a god instead of a goat.

[Jakes Progress]

13. Russert was a journalist,

Jackson was the greatest musician of the century, and Iraq was responsible for 9-11.

We know this because the media told us so.

[elehhhhna]

25. ...and highrises fall down b/c they're near other highrises that fell down

(bldg. 7)

[Wednesdays]

10. K&R

:kick:

[Senator]

11. K&+R

[invictus]

14. K&R

[JBoy]

15. Morning kick. This is a great piece.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

16. I never liked Tim....he was a whore of the highest caliber...good onGreenwald!

[Joe Bacon]

17. This is what Tim The Whore really was!

[laststeamtrain]

20. It's never too often to remind ourselves St. Tim was a punk. n/t.

[laststeamtrain]

21. Dupe

[grantcart]

22. excellent and his words about Halberstram are 100% on the mark.

[Spazito]

23. Excellent! Mr. Greenwald iterates the disgusting truth about the ...

media as it exists today. Propagandized infotainment sold to the highest bidder.

Thanks for posting this, it is an excellent read.

Recommended.

[Pharlo]

26. As far as I'm concerned,

true MSM journalism in this country died with Peter Jennings. While the 'infortainmentism' of journalism may have been starting, his hold on the ABC news division prevented the slippery slide over the edge. As long as ABC had a real journalist, NBC and CBS had to retain some as well. With his death, ABC gave up the struggle and the other two networks stopped even trying to pretend.

Shortly after Mr. Jennings' death, ABC 'revamped' their news division. Ted Koppel left 'Nightline'.

Over at CBS, Rather was forced out for Katie Couric. '60 Minutes' actually had hard hitting journalistic pieces strangled by executives.

As far as I'm concerned, Peter Jennings' death was also the death of corporate journalism in this country. I can still recall his primetime news specials that would take the complex problems of the day (ie Bosnia-Herzegovina) and put them into a simple, easy for anyone to understand format.

[Uzybone]

27. it died way before that

journalism in this country has been dead since Iran Contra. That was the last time the M$M did their jobs seriously and didn't report talking points as news. The advent of cable news (CNN, FOX, MSNBC) as journalism powers are the clearest indication that journalism is dead.