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Originally Posted by The_Jazz
Gotta do this out of order. Sorry.
What? Are you a canibal now? Are you sitting at your computer thinking "mmmmm, barbequed hooker, hot off the grill!" That's a little scarier than me in my wizard hat and crooked stick.
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Hey, you started it, I just upped the scary ante. :-)
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That's the thing - I am a swell guy. I usually insist on buying the drinks. It's what I do. Perhaps that's why I don't see the conflict here. The reporters are going to write what they're going to write, regardless of who filled their bellies. Is one of them going to sit on a story about how McCain is about to sell Alaska back to the Russians because of this barbeque?
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If you buy me drinks, I'm going to feel more favorably disposed to you. I'll know what a swell guy you are. You didn't buy me the drinks to get something, or even to make me think what a swell guy you are. I didn't accept the drinks and automatically make a value decision 'Oh, well now I owe him'. But I'm certainly now more biased in your favor. Which is fine. However, if I'm then expected to make an unbiased evaluation of you or your actions, we have a conflict of interest.
If I were a journalist covering you, as a political figure, I would probably insist on paying for my own drinks, and I would hope you would understand my position.
In your example - no, a journalist that is 'cozy' with McCain probably wouldn't sit on the story - but would he notify McCain in advance that he was going to run with the story, giving him time to do damage control? Would his story put McCain in a more favorable light? Would he be more inclined to 'See McCain's side of the story?' I think so.
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Originally Posted by Ustwo
I'm sure that was part of his goal. But if I were a reporter MY goal would be to see McCain the man and see what kind of man he was, and that isn't something you get from a reportable event for the most part. I mean would I report 'McCain passed me the ribs and asked if I wanted hot sauce'?
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Would you accept his money to pay for your stay at a luxary 5-star hotel? Would you agree to keep the weekend 'off the record', and leave your recording devices off and notebooks closed? If McCain said something inappropriate, would you abide by his 'off the record' request?
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I understand your view on this, but my opinion of the press is so low that I think this kind of activity could help elevate it a bit if they really knew the people they report on.
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I guess maybe this is the root of our disagreement - if you think the press is as low as it can go, and *anything* would be an improvement, then maybe I can see your point. I think the press in the US is bad, but should be much better, and could get much worse. Maybe optimistic of me, but, after all, I support The Candidate Of Hope (TM).
I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. I think I sort of understand your logic here, I just can't agree with it.
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Originally Posted by host
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I snipped lots of stuff.
Honestly, while I'm about as anti-McCain (2008 McCain, anyway) as you can get, I didn't want to make this thread about McCain as much as journalistic integrity, or rather, the lack thereof. That's why I didn't include the cutesy video that Ms. McCain did (on her Macbook, probably - that girl probably has a future in video production) or any other McCain-specific sources. I'd like to think I'd be equally outraged by journalists pandering to Obama. :-)