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Fighting back against the PR presidency - A Washington Post reporter issues a call for defiance
Nieman Watchdog ^ | July 14, 2006 | Walter Pincus

Posted on 07/14/2006 1:01:46 PM PDT by PDR

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To: mazda77

Quote: "How convenient for Mr. Pincus to decide that now is the time to do this. I'm sure it wasn't even an issue while Clinton was in office and used PR solely to address the issues of the day."

How pathetic that Mr. Pincus can't already see that this is exactly what the MSM does. Where are the stories about the positive developments in Iraq? Where are the stories about the booming economy? Mr. Pincus, you have your head up your arshish.


21 posted on 07/14/2006 1:35:33 PM PDT by FlipWilson
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To: PDR
At the end of Reagan's first year, David Broder, the Post's distinguished political reporter, wrote a column about Reagan being among the least involved Presidents he had covered.

And look how his Presidency turned out compared a POTUS who was always reported to be so involved and hands on, Jimmy "Thanks for Iran You Peanut-Brained Idiot" Carter.

22 posted on 07/14/2006 1:39:50 PM PDT by AmericaUnited
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To: PDR
I believe a new kind of courage is needed in journalism in this age of instant news, instant analysis, and therefore instant opinions.

From what trends I have seen over the last few years, it seems the "courage" you are demanding is the courage to tell bald-faced lies to the American public to counter the growing power of the conservative media.

23 posted on 07/14/2006 1:52:01 PM PDT by dirtboy (When Bush is on the same side as Ted the Swimmer on an issue, you know he's up to no good...)
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To: PDR

The biggest problem Bush has is the fact that his communications to the public at large has to be filtered through newspapers and broadcasters who are almost unanimously aligned with his political enemies.

A key political or philosophical argument gets stripped away, and all the public gets is half a minute of visual with the reporter telling you what the president supposedly said. With that kind of stranglehold on communications, the president has been hamstrung, and has been forced to find other means of getting his message out, and mostly failing.

Pincus' complaint is that their near-monopoly isn't absolute. He is calling on his journalistic brothers to have the courage to completely freeze out any communications they disagree with.


24 posted on 07/14/2006 1:53:57 PM PDT by marron
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To: PDR
This tactic serves only to reinforce that what's going on is public relations -- not governing. Journalistic courage should include the refusal to publish in a newspaper or carry on a TV or radio news show any statements made by the President or any other government official that are designed solely as a public relations tool, offering no new or valuable information to the public.

What a total pile of crybaby tripe.

Governing is leading and leading is educating. It says something about those being educated that they need a keyword cheat sheet behind the president in order to understand his message. It doesn't say anything about the president or his message.

25 posted on 07/14/2006 2:22:16 PM PDT by wouldntbprudent (If you can: Contribute more (babies) to the next generation of God-fearing American Patriots!)
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To: PDR

this from a fella who pushed the Plame non-story for, what , three years and still probably doesn't know it blew up in his face.


26 posted on 07/14/2006 3:02:28 PM PDT by gusopol3
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To: Kenny Bunk
"I hope the Republicans are not paying a lot for their PR."

Anyone who would hire Scott McLellan is NOT the PR master his critics say he is.
27 posted on 07/14/2006 3:08:17 PM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: PDR

Is this clown related to Rather?


28 posted on 07/14/2006 3:10:22 PM PDT by PA Engineer (Liberate America from the occupation media.)
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To: mazda77; FrPR
The Democrats are masters of illusion. The Republicans suffer from the delusion that the people know what they are talking about ... and agree.

Right now, many of the Republicans I know actually think that they will win the next elections because, "as any fool can see, the Democrats are preposterous."

Apparently they were out of the country for the Gore and Kerry near misses.

29 posted on 07/17/2006 7:05:20 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk (( Vote Fraud: The Democrats' Secret Weapon .... Well, secret to the RNC, anyway.))
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