Our hard-core, adversarial press corps

[Jefferson23]

* Truly pathetic.

June 7, 2010

By Glenn Greenwald


(updated below)

On Friday, CNN's Ed Henry posted a series of giggly, adolescent updates on his Twitter feed, describing the events that took place at a "beach" party thrown by Joe Biden, at the Vice President's mansion, for various "reporters" and White House officials. Digby excerpted just a sampling of Henry's giddy outburst:



Henry also posted videos and photographs he took of the Vice President and White House Chief of Staff playing with water guns, slides and the White House press corps.


Snip from edhenrycnn:

Rahm was chasing Mrs Biden & she hid behind me so I got in his crosshairs - now I know how Sestak felt...


A little girl just hit VP in face with water. Secret Service hasn't detained her. Yet........



Henry also posted videos and photographs he took of the Vice President and White House Chief of Staff playing with water guns, slides and the White House press corps.


Today, The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, who often passes along White House thinking under the cover of anonymity, confesses that he, too, attended the water party, and also posted a short video he took of Rahm Emanuel frolicking with a squirt gun along with party participants Wolf Blitzer (the former AIPAC official and current CNN anchor) and The New York Times' David Sanger (who faithfully regurgitates every administration fear-mongering claim regarding the Iranian nuclear program):


remainder and videos at link: http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/06/07/washington/index.html

[Mari333]

1. fiddling while rome burns.

priveledged fuckers.

[Jefferson23]

2. No accountability to the people, privileged fuckers indeed. n/t

[lib2DaBone]

3. David Gregory dancing with Karl Rove...

no explanation needed...

[Jefferson23]

4. How are we ever going to get anywhere with this bullshit going on non stop?

In March, Daily Kos' Susan Gardner highlighted passages from a New York Magazine profile of Liz Cheney which detailed the extensive social relationships between Cheney and all sorts of leading media and political figures, including David Gregory, The Washington Post's Glenn Kessler, former DNC head Terry McAuliffe, and Mika Brzezinski, to whom Cheney sent a box of cupcakes after Brzezinski, on her show, criticized Cheney's father. About all of that, Gardiner wrote:


This idea that the national press corps can cozy up to sources or people in power they cover during afternoon soccer games or over Saturday night dinners, then turn around and hold their feet to the fire is ridiculous. You know it. I know it. Everyone outside of Beltway zip codes knows that. Hell, anyone who's ever tried to challenge a neighbor at a local meeting knows it.

But the Village? Meh. They have their own rules. And cupcakes.


And squirt guns. Do you think any of those frivolities might temper their desire to expose the war crimes and call for the prosecution of their good friend Liz's dad? For the same reason, numerous progressives were incensed -- rightfully so -- when John McCain invited the press corps which covered his campaign for a weekend party of wine-drinking, BBQ-ing, and other fun games at his (wife's) ranch in Sedona, Arizona. I presume everyone will agree that playing water sports with Emanuel and Biden is no less compromising than sipping white wine on McCain's tire swing or extensively socializing with Liz Cheney.

[kgnu_fan]

5. Power is addictive, I guess, Journalists need to be morally strong people who

can keep the ethical compass sharp and clean.

[gratuitous]

6. You left the "e" off the end of your subject line

The relations between reporters and the elected officials they're supposed to cover are just way too chummy anymore.

[cwydro]

7. Reminds me of whathis face dancing with Karl Rove.

sheesh.

Thanks for posting. K and R.