The Deputy Press Secretary for the Bush Administration, Tony Fratto, recently slammed the White House press corps for, he said, credulously reporting the Obama adminstration’s “claims of ‘jobs saved’ attributed to the stimulus bill,” calling the claims a “breathtaking deception” and challenging reporters to “vigorously question” them.
Via Twitter this morning, CBS News’s Mark Knoller responds:
(Reporting a claim not same as believing one.)
And, a few minutes later:
It’s part of the dilemma reporters face. Do we only report official claims we can verify?
And then, Knoller seems to answer himself:
When the president says his budget will cut the deficit in half in four years - that’s a prediction. No way to verify. But I report it.
Tony Fratto complaining about credulous reporters?
Really?
REALLY?
His whole career depended upon the timorous credulousness of reporters.
LOL
#1 Posted by Woody, CJR on Mon 8 Jun 2009 at 04:02 PM
Smells like Pulitzer to me!
#2 Posted by Hardrada, CJR on Mon 8 Jun 2009 at 08:06 PM
When the president says his budget will cut the deficit in half in four years - that’s a prediction. No way to verify. But I report it.
You know what’s so horseshit about this is that back in the day guys like Knoller would give W's predictions and pronouncements two paragraphs and then give 8 or ten paragraphs to his opponents as a rebuttal.
The press corps these days seem to be acting more like a stenography service.
#3 Posted by Mike H, CJR on Mon 8 Jun 2009 at 08:40 PM