Journalism in America

We must note the passing of a legendary, groundbreaking journalist. Don Hewitt, originator and producer of 60 Minutes for over 30 years, producer of the first Kennedy/Nixon televised debate, has succumbed to cancer. The world of investigative journalism got a true energy burst from the development of 60 Minutes. They set a standard that has yet to be exceeded. Though we're sure he was disappointed with the state of journalism on television today, we believe he never lost sight of the importance of getting to the truth, and telling it effectively without bias. Any reporting of Don Hewitt's death by Fox News will be abruptly switched off in our home.

A day can't go by without more outrage over sputtering health care reform. The latest is the NBC poll that shows most Americans - 91% - want some kind of health care reform. Which makes it difficult to understand why most also believe three of the four biggest lies about the proposed health care reform bills in Congress. Breaking it down, 55% believe Obamacare would be available to illegal immigrants (not true); 54% believe the Government will completely take over health care (not true); 50% believe the Government would pay for every abortion (not true); and 45% believe the Government would use death panels to refuse care to Grandma (NOT TRUE!). Unbelievable. But real.

And here's where it gets really interesting. Viewers of Fox News account for most of those numbers. 72% of Faux News viewers believe illegal immigrants would be covered; 79% that Government would takeover all your health care; 69% that tax dollars would pay for abortions; and 75% that the Government would pull the plug on Grandma.

They have believed the outright lies that Fox propagates as news. Journalism. Without shame.

Sadly, CNN (supposedly completely neutral) and MSNBC (supposedly liberal) haven't been able to squelch the lies either. Among their viewers, 41% believe the illegal immigrant lie; 39% believe the takeover lie; 40% believe the abortion lie; and 30% - YES 30% - believe the death panel lie.

Pundits are complaining about the ineffective messaging put out by the Obama White House, but for heaven's sake, how do you combat the Big Lie when its primary promulgators are one of the most watched news outlets? Then add those internet scandal sheets, and the way ALL the news outlets, broadcast and cable, cover the liars at town hall meetings, only occasionally pointing out the lies.

Is there really no law that requires news outlets to tell the truth? Or correct their lies? Are Americans really so gullible? Obama wasn't born here? Obama's a Nazi? We despair.

And tonight, Tom Delay says it's Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP that are driving up the cost of health care. And he'd like the President to produce his birth certificate. And he gets on TV - virtually every channel. And we wonder why so many people believe the lies.

Of course there's more to life than health care.

Governor Bill Richardson has been talking with the North Koreans, and he reports that he feels they are now prepared to enter into dialog with us. So where do the "journalists" of today put the emphasis in their coverage? "Why aren't they talking with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton?" Pat Buchanan says this is evidence that Mrs. Clinton isn't being taken seriously. That this is a slight. Obama's playing it wrong. What game is Buchanan playing? What's important is that the relationship with North Korea may be warming up, substantive discussions may be possible. State Department had to give permission for these talks (since North Koreans aren't allowed to go anywhere in the US besides the United Nations without getting permission), and clearly Secretary Clinton was involved in this granting. The North Korean officials had had discussions previously with Gov. Richardson when he was a special envoy for then-President Bush in April of 2007. They knew him, he knew them, they were comfortable in talking with him. Is it such a stretch to posit that Secretary Clinton actually cared more about improving relations with a hostile nation than thumping her chest in a territorial in-fight? Men! Journalists! Thank God Hillary Clinton can set aside any ego issues and do what's right for America.

The people of Iraq are going to the polls in January in an effort to put their country on course for security and freedom. Sadly, that may be the reason behind the six deadly bombings that happened Wednesday, taking at least 95 lives and injuring 500 more. The location, timing and efficiency of the attacks indicate that a well-organized, well-funded and well-connected group is responsible. The most likely motivation for this outrageous violence is to show that the Iraqi government has failed to develop adequate security. Who could gain from such a demonstraton? Two possibles: those who want the US to maintain a military presence in the cities, and political opponents of Maliki and his governing party. Some journalists at Al Jazeera point the finger at interfering Arab neighbors, specifically Saudi Arabia. Regardless of who is responsible, the danger for America is getting caught up in the idea that we need to stay longer in order to give the Iraqi people more time to develop better security. Let's not forget that attacks like this, even in the Green Zone, happened when we had a huge military presence in the cities. Lately, things had been relatively peaceful in Iraq, despite our pullback from those cities. We need to maintain our resolve to get our military completely out of that country. The people of Iraq have to come together and stand up to the terrorists -- it's the only way to a secure and stable democracy.

JM