Once, I was inspired…now, I’m sad and tired
Column by the always-perceptive Eric Alterman about how the network news anchormen have allowed themselves to be pummeled into absolute irrelevance.
Most telling paragraph: Reporting on a panel discussion featuring Dan Rather, Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw, together with Jim Lehrer and Judy Woodruff, Alterman writes,
“The anchors declined my invitation, issued from the audience, to ruminate on their own responsibility for the fact that a President of the United States was able to mislead the people of the United States based on what, even then, were demonstrably false arguments. Eventually, however, they did respond to the polite prodding of Patrice Arent, my favorite Utah state senator and the body’s entire female Jewish caucus. Rather explained, “Look, when a President of the United States, any President, Republican or Democrat, says these are the facts, there is heavy prejudice, including my own, to give him the benefit of any doubt, and for that I do not apologize.” (Emphasis mine–BV)
Poor Dan. He still doesn’t get it.
