As usual...

...the best coverage of the American election comes from abroad. You may read the third instalment of Oliver Burkeman's "Important questions to which the answer is 'no'" on the Guardian website. You just have to laugh don't you? (Except for the "fact" that 25% of the American population probably believes the actual answer is "YES".

If you set the bar low enough...

...even Ramb-ette might be able to clear it. David Brooks tells the Sunday morning talks shows that Ms. Palin is smart enough to "rise to the level of mediocrity."

And he's on her side!

R.I.P.

Tim Russert - 1950 - 2008; journalist and longtime host of Meet the Press.

I thought I might share this with you

Yesterday's Independent on Sunday carried an opinion piece by Sarah Churchwell about Barack Obama and his chances for victory in November. It is thoughtful and well worth a read but I don't mention it for that. I mention it because the following quote highlights the much more sensible policies of all of the major British papers towards the use of obscenity in print. Ms. Churchwell, in discussing Senator McCain's character has the following to say:

"I would put nothing past a man who, it has been alleged and not denied, has called his own wife a cunt."

The use of the justifiably reviled "C" word in this case is not gratuitous. How can one possibly discuss the (alleged) incident without using the word? The American press would simply report, had they not already chosen to ignore the accusation, that "McCain cursed his wife" or "McCain called his wife an expletive". Neither of those does justice to what may, or may not, have occurred between the two. If it is duty of the press to report then they must report, and report truthfully, including the use of often offensive language when it is necessary and germane to the story.

All Bill Moyers, all the time

At forty minutes it is rather long for our sound bite age but I think you will enjoy Bill Moyers's speech to the National Conference on Media Reform at the weekend.

In the department of "not so much fun when it happens to you"

All news organisations, broadcast and print, edit the statements of and interviews with politicians to fit their needs and sometimes their agenda. American news organisations are the worst of the lot, at least in my view, as they try not to exceed what they perceive to the the 10 second attention span of the American public. It seems that the White House doesn't like it when such editing doesn't meet their agenda. Surprisingly they've never had to send a complaint Faux News.

Dear Mr. Stephanopoulos,

Given your less than stellar performance with the Democratic candidates the other night it seems not very many people are looking forward to your meeting with John McCain this morning but there are lots of good ideas floating around in the Internets, perhaps you could use some of them.

Robert Greenwald thinks your interview ought to go like this.



And Keith Olbermann has a number of excellent suggestions.

If you're bashful about nicking questions from these two you could just pretend that they are Sean Hannity!

And don't forget to get The Food Network's Cindy's recipe for tuna. I hear it's excellent!

Truly unbelieveable

The Federation of Poles in Great Britain has been in contact with the Press Complaints Commission and accused the Daily Mail, that never has a bad word to say about anything or anyone, of defaming Polish residents of the UK. I just cannot believe this. This can only have happened because these Eastern European immigrants have failed to master the Queen's English and therefore have misinterpreted what this truly noble journalistic enterprise is saying.

For (possibly fictitious) examples of the newspapers journalistic excellence click this link!

Today in infamy - a future American is born

On this day in 1969 then Australian Rupert Murdoch won control of News of the World, his first British newspaper; and what a fine paper it remains to this day!

Gone but not forgotten

171 journalists were killed last year whilst pursuing the truth; 65 of them in that notable success story Iraq.

Remember them in your prayers if you are so inclined or just remember them.

Gimme that on-line religion

Rupert Murdoch's Newscorp has bought out faith based website Beliefnet for an undisclosed sum. I am certain that this is a sincere expression of faith on Rupert's part (may I call you Rupert) and not an attempt to make loads more filthy lucre that will make it difficult if not impossible for Rupert and his progeny to get into heaven. Of course if heaven is full of poor people Rupert probably wouldn't want to go in any case!)

In praise of Tom Toles

He takes on the idiocy and cowardice of his own paper, the craven Washington Post.

(I didn't know that Osama Obama is a vegetarian.)

I can't put my finger on it but...

...this article about pressure put on Iranian journalists and accusations against them that include "propaganda against the system," "agitation of public opinion," "blasphemy," "cultural invasion," "preparation for soft revolution," "creeping coup," and "espionage" reminds me of something.