Tucker Carlson unintentionally reveals the role of the American press

Great piece as ever Conniepae... When are you going to upload an avatar?

It's such twisted backwards logic for Tucker to not want to upset the powerful in some vain attempt to ensure they continue to talk to him and tell him the truth. It seems a little bit of a conflict of interest that Carlson wants to stand up for Miss Power when his role as a journalist is to be impartial, if a fact needs reporting it needs reporting, no matter who it "hurts" in the process. This is what journalism is all about - People need to know things.

To have a stab at British journalistic ethics as well, Tucker, Tucker, Tucker.

Great article conniepae - the more the bias in reporting is exposed for what it is the more we have a chance of getting the truth from these corporate run news agencies. With Tucker, however, I doubt many of us are surprised.

I think the point is that journalists shouldn't rely so heavily on official handouts for their info. It's bad journalism, they should investigate thoroughly like Seymour Hersh and David Ray Griffin. There is no such thing as sacred information in journalism, it is an institution which safeguards democracy.

If the president told a journalist "off the record" that he had cheated in an election is the journalist obliged to not report it?

smorrisey, i totally disagree with your evaluation of Tucker. He's a hack!

This administration used forged documents to state their case, with no follow-up from the fine journalist you admire. Tucker Carlson is an enabler. I'm sorry, but when his show comes on, MSNBC goes off my TV. I pay for cable and refuse to watch such a hack!

The Downing Street minutes went unchallenged? Many facts went unchallenged? The American Press failed us! Elizabeth de la Vega’s book was ignored and she took this administration to task for their misstatements. Her book should have been the talking points for the day and instead we heard about Britney and Paris. Who’s ahead on American Idol? Fluff stuff?

People in power should not control what is reported! That is propaganda, not journalism! Our news should state facts, not pick and choose how they get distorted! We now have spin news, not factual news. Fact and spin are not equal, even if the press reports them as equal. Facts are facts, spin is distorted facts repeated often enough they are believed to be equal. It’s an ‘Assault on Reason’!

Now, they are the ones bringing us our election coverage. We are hearing playground politics instead of real political coverage. Are they trying, or have they turned us all into children? It’s not good for the children or the country!

You lead by example and the American Press is a bad example to follow. What are they teaching our children, gutter politics?

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phillyharper, profound! And worth repeating! LOUDLY!

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SACRED INFORMATION IN JOURNALISM, IT IS AN INSTITUTION WHICH SAFEGUARDS DEMOCRACY!

WHEN THE SAFEGUARDS GO, SO GOES OUR DEMOCRACY! DAY BY DAY OUR DEMOCRACY AND OUR CONSTITUTION ARE IN JEOPARDY!

Truth in Journalism is a necessity!

To me, full and accurate disclosure in investigative journalism is the issue here. If not, what's the point of having journalists at all?

Conservative political tendencies don't bother me. I wanted Gore/Hagel '08. I want TRUTH TO POWER. I don't care what his political tendencies are. I in no way claim to be impartial. I am sick of what has been done in America. I think we are moving in the wrong direction due to spin of pundits on our cable news shows. I don't support spin from the Democrats either. I think we should be Americans first, Democrats or Republicans second.

It's a shame that we are so divided. The pundits are now working feverishly to divide us within our own party. Unfortunately, our candidates are playing along. That's a shame! They let the pundits take them off message. Pundits should not control the conversation, they should report it. They are turning the Democratic candidates into playground politicians. Issues are important, not playground name calling. I want issues. I want to hear how they will take us in a different direction. Bring back accountability.

Journalism is the counterweight to government and big business. It is through intellect and intuition a journalist reports what they believe to be true. If they only write what the news maker wants reported they are not worth reading. American news outlets are highly suspect; they are owned by 5-6 major corporations.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/09/report-msnbc-to-cancel-t_n_90648.html

Report: MSNBC to cancel Tucker Carlson. I guess he shouldn't have admitted what we all knew. They report what they are told to report. No independent thinking, or reporting allowed.

I stopped buying The Scotsman after they devoted 14 pages to reporting Hell On Earth when one - yes, 1 as in singular - bird had been found off the mainland with Bird Flu. I consider that one of the worst cases of overblown fearmongering I have ever encountered. Truly ridiculous.

When I read this story my immediate thought was 'this womans career is over' and then she resigned. Funny thing is the words "this is off the record" are actually included after the comment in the flow of conversation reported... meaning she new immediately she had gaffed. Now imagine that same interview had been held live on air? That same gaff would have been broadcast to millions.

My point? Is it realistic to expect such an error of judgement to be covered up purely because the medium of communication is not immediate?

On reflection [aside from my opinion that The Scotsman is a poor newspaper], I think not.

I have to ask myself, would the Guardian or the Independent - both great quality newspapers - have done the same thing.....

Incidentally, I don't necessarily believe she *should* have resigned, though I can easily appreciate why she felt she had to.

I definitely don't think she should have resigned. She should have sucked it up and explained why she had such feelings. Just because Hillary is running for President doesn't mean she does not have some monstrous qualities. Quitting was weak. Answers should have been given, explaining her frustration. It was actually a petty comment.

Mainstream media turned it into a slug-fest. MSM should not control the message. I want to hear issues Ms Power could have stated facts that make Hillary come across as monstrous. The Clinton’s would not have wanted to talk about it. They would have to defend facts and explain Hillary's actions. Americans would be watching for gaffs and thinking, well maybe she is kinda monstrous. Hillary spoke favorably about McCain over Obama, selling out her own party and the people who support him. I'm a Democrat and definitely think McCain is more of the same. I don't feel more secure with George W., his policies scare the heck out of me. I'm afraid his arrogance will start World War III.

world war III? or...the "third world" war...but sshhhh...
we are going to start calling it....global humanitarian relief operations soon enough....approval ratings of neocon spin is at an all time low...so we must change the spin...
no war on terror...global humanitarian relief operation sounds much more socially acceptable...or politically correct!
or it will simply be, which I've already heard, "peace operations" except peace will be at the end of a rifle.

what is really the easy part....is pulling on the heartstrings of the "humanitarians" to support military "force" in the name of "peace and liberty". LOL

the sooner people realize that it's all smoke and mirrors...the sooner our human evolution can take place.

Yup. Hilliaries actions over the past week or so - especially endorsing McCain over Obama - have been disgusting. It is becoming abundantly clear that she is now playing into the hands of Republican voters who no longer *have* to vote a nominee and are now voting her instead. So Obama has to effectively fight Clinton and McCain just to get a shot at the nomination.

As such it is absolutely in Clintons interest to suck up to Republicans and hold out all the way. Only thing is, of course, she could then lose the Democratic vote and hand the election to McCain. Clinton as McCains' Vice, anyone?

Yes it could happen.

That is how fucked the American system currently is. And that is how dirty Clinton seems to be playing it.

As to WWIII?
Could still happen within Bush's Presidency.

I think the only reason it was avoided over Iraq was Vladimir Putins decision not to intervene - which he easily could have, morally, given huge Russian interests in Iraq.

Should Bushco find / invent a reason to attack Iran, the political landscape of the world would shift very rapidly and for the worse in a big bad way.

With a McCain Presidency an attack on Iran is pretty much a given.

I think the American people should see what has been done in Iraq before we support another war of choice. Pre-emptive war should not be our first choice.

Congress should vet the facts before they give George W. authority to take us to war again.

The facts leading up to the war of choice with Iraq need to be fully investigated. Were the facts distorted? Did mainstream media knowingly report distorted facts? Who was responsible for the forged documents and have safeguards been put in place for the future?

Many questions, very few answers. Where are ordinary Americans supposed to get facts. We can't trust the media, we can't trust this administration and it appears Congress is short on answsers also.

This is OUR country, not just the country of the ones in power. They are only in power because we voted (?) for them.

One thing I find fascinating about the US Media is that the dominant Right seem to quite merrily believe everything the Bush Admin does is both justified and absolutely OK.

It is akin to Brits believing everything written in The Sun.

And a US public, for a surprisingly large part, seem to swallow it.

Bushco has shown many many times that they will find a way to do what they want to do, without letting little things like facts, due process or Constitution and Law get in the way.

For a slightly clearer idea of what is Really Happening [TM] I recommend regularly watching websites such as the Huffington Post, Crooks and Liars, and the BBC.

Bloggers such as Matthew Good are also worth tapping.

but the most important thing you can do is apply an active intelligence filter to anything you hear and read. Something sounds off? Check it out!! You have a world of information just a few web searches away and there is very little you cannot find if you go looking. Information is God. If your sources suck, look elsewhere.