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Originally Posted by shakran
Defend which side of it? McCain did nothing wrong. He's allowed to try and influence press coverage. The journalist who allows himself to be wined and dined is doing something wrong. Many journos these days do not understand why I won't even take an offered cookie or donut. It's not because my coverage would be influenced. You could give me a Porsche and I'd still nail you to the wall if you screwed up. But the viewer doesn't know that. I won't do anything that jeopardizes my perceived integrity with the viewer.
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I'm not sure if I agree that McCain did nothing wrong. While this isn't a bribe, I think most people would agree that it's wrong to either accept *or* offer a bribe. I think it's wrong to try to buy influence as well as to allow yourself to be bought, and it's wrong to intentionally put someone in a position of conflict of interest...maybe not *as* bad, but still, not all roses ethically.
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It's a sad thing really. Most journalists are paid crap wages. I know many who make $17,000 a year. Most starting journos make that. . .if they're lucky. Very tempting to take the free SWAG offered you when you consider ramen expensive, ya know? But it's something that a journo must realize is a consequence of him choosing to be a journalist. Don't like it? You can make more money doing almost anything else. Go into PR and offer the trips to the journos 
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Yep, and I see lots of signs that (especially in Washington), journalists are way to cozy with the rich and powerful that they are supposed to be covering.