Fear & Loathing for Tim Russert

[Mabus]

From the NY Magazine this weekend. http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/48333/

Fear & Loathing for Tim Russert
Lapham speaks ill.

* By Jada Yuan
* Published Jul 6, 2008

Lewis Lapham isn’t happy with political journalism today. “There was a time in America when the press and the government were on opposite sides of the field,” he said at a premiere party for Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson on June 25. “The press was supposed to speak on behalf of the people. The new tradition is that the press speaks on behalf of the government.” An example? “Tim Russert was a spokesman for power, wealth, and privilege,” Lapham said. “That’s why 1,000 people came to his memorial service. Because essentially he was a shill for the government. It didn’t matter whether it was Democratic or Republican. It was for the status quo.” What about Russert’s rep for catching pols in lies? “That was bullshit,” he said. “Thompson and Russert were two opposite poles.”

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. I wondered what Hunter would have to say

about St Tim.

:rofl:

[madokie]

3. I'm sure he could have written a book about what he thought.

[Mabus]

5. Before or after he stopped laughing

I'm sure Hunter would have some interesting, and spot on, comments.

[peacetalksforall]

8. What would Hunter say about Lapham - probably nothing, but give him

an approving smile and slap on the back.

You can use fewer words when leaders are telling the truth. Truth is expected. Lies are thieves and killers.

[Demit]

2. Good on Lewis Lapham! With one pithy remark, he cuts through all the bullshit

and zeroes in on what Tim Russert really represented.

[Kolesar]

4. The press in the 19th century were shills for the Republican Party

I don't think there were any "golden days" of a crusading press. It was a big deal for the editor of the Washington Post to skewer Nixon over Watergate, but examples of righteous journalism are few.

During Watergate, the TV networks cowed when Nixon threatened to use the FCC against them and pull their "licenses".

[Mabus]

7. I have to agree with you

Newspapers have often been run by people who have helped set the agenda. They decide how to allocate resources. This means they decide which story gets covered and how much attention it will get. They decide how much to go after someone and which information isn't fit to print and what is. That's why the press is so important.

[pscot]

9. Our idea of crusading newspapers

bent on the public good, probably goes back to the muckrakers of the late 19TH and early 20TH century. Independent magazines and papers set out to expose public and private corruption and right social wrongs. TR is alleged to have coined the term Muckraker. There's a good Wikipedia entry on the subject. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muckraker

[evlbstrd]

6. Right on.

Didn't Russert even say that he valued access above all?

[Lex]

10. Cheney's camp thought Russert's show was "our best format"

for Cheney to spew his crap without actually being called on it in any real way, i.e. they knew Russert would be lobbing softballs.

That's speaks volumes about Russert.