Posted on 05/02/2011 8:08:07 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The White House correspondents' dinner is known for being a glitzy, over-the-top affair, and Saturday's event lived up to its reputation. Starstruck reporters schmoozed with celebrities; the president made jokes at the expense of a red-faced and huffy Donald Trump; bloggers continued to Tweet madly, unimpeded by their black-tie attire, pausing only to gawk at the likes of Bristol Palin and Paul Rudd.
Sponsored by the White House Correspondents' Association with a little help from the lobbyists next door, the stated goal of the event is to raise funds for awards and scholarships (of which I was a recipient) and honour the media for its commitment to news coverage. At a time when American journalism is losing its clout as quickly as it is haemorrhaging money, the dinner's intention is close to irreproachable. But its execution is symptomatic of the problems the profession is facing.
The celebrities sitting at almost every table of the Washington Hilton gave the distinct impression that both journalism and politics are now wholly beholden to the whims of the entertainment-industrial complex. That the entire evening's discourse revolved around Donald Trump's birther-babble only confirmed this.
It has always been common for nightclubs to pay bright young things for making appearances. Today, newspapers and magazines pick up the tab, flaunting glamorous contributors – Tina Fey, Bono, James Franco – while downsizing their newsrooms.
Seeing Rahm Emmanuel rub shoulders with writers, producers and editors would suggest to any reasonable viewer that the press and this particularly photogenic administration enjoy a relationship that is cozier than it is critical.....
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Really eye-opening, isn’t it?
There’s no difference between them. They are called the political elite.
Journalists with spouses in the current administration etc.
They are all corrupt bastards.
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