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WaPo Columnist: Yes, Journalists Lean Left, and Reason Why 'Would Infuriate You'(STUNNING)
NewsBusters ^ | 10/24/2006 | Tim Johnson

Posted on 10/24/2006 11:57:11 AM PDT by tobyhill

Whenever a writer for one of America's most influential newspapers states his or her opinions about liberal media bias, it should be brought to the attention of NewsBusters readers (unless, of course, said writer merely offers some variant of the lame, threadbare "we get complaints from both the right and the left, which tells me our coverage is balanced" argument).

Washington Post humor columnist Gene Weingarten also occasionally writes long pieces for the paper's Sunday magazine. In a Monday web chat concerning Weingarten's admiring profile of Doonesbury's Garry Trudeau, a questioner charged that the Post ran that story and others in order to help the Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections. In today's chat, when the same questioner posted a good-humored follow-up, Weingarten addressed media bias in general terms (emphasis added):

In terms of coverage of news, newspapers honestly do make a strong effort to be nonpartisan. I can tell you there is NEVER any covert hidden agenda, wherein editors will say or think or act on the notion of: "Hey, the election is coming up and we think the Dems are better this year, so let's have some nice stories about them to help sway the votes." Never happens.

This does not mean there is no subtle bias. There is, and it is of this nature: Most journalists personally lean liberal. You and I could have a long debate about why this is, and my views would infuriate you, but it is true and it is silly to deny it.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bias; democrats; liberalpress; liberals; mediabias; mediabiaslist; msm
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1 posted on 10/24/2006 11:57:12 AM PDT by tobyhill
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To: tobyhill
Absolutely delusional.
2 posted on 10/24/2006 11:59:56 AM PDT by wideawake ("The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten." - Calvin Coolidge)
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To: wideawake

I think all the MSM should be considered a 527 organization.


3 posted on 10/24/2006 12:01:43 PM PDT by tobyhill (The War on Terrorism is not for the weak.)
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To: tobyhill

Well of course it's true. As Rush once said, they're all idealist moonbats that think they're going to save the world from all its troubles. (Rush didn't say "moonbats" though)


4 posted on 10/24/2006 12:02:01 PM PDT by subterfuge (Tolerance has become the greatest virtue, and hypocrisy the worst character defect.)
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To: tobyhill
Note: When the media-bias issue was raised in one long-ago chat, Weingarten asserted, essentially, that journalists are more liberal than the average person because they are better informed than the average person.

Uh... can I get a barf bag, please. Can you super-size that? Yeah, thanks.

Is there no end to their arrogance?
5 posted on 10/24/2006 12:02:50 PM PDT by RedCell ("...thou shalt kill thine enemy before he killeth you by any means available" - Dick Marcinko)
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To: tobyhill
"Note: When the media-bias issue was raised in one long-ago chat, Weingarten asserted, essentially, that journalists are more liberal than the average person because they are better informed than the average person."

That is laughable.

6 posted on 10/24/2006 12:04:27 PM PDT by sageb1 (This is the Final Crusade. There are only 2 sides. Pick one.)
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To: wideawake
Absolutely delusional.

Note: When the media-bias issue was raised in one long-ago chat, Weingarten asserted, essentially, that journalists are more liberal than the average person because they are better informed than the average person.

And elitist.

7 posted on 10/24/2006 12:04:44 PM PDT by frogjerk (REUTERS: We give smoke and mirrors a bad name)
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To: RedCell

The only way it will end is when they lose all readers and then they can do what some mental homeless people do, talk to themselves.


8 posted on 10/24/2006 12:04:53 PM PDT by tobyhill (The War on Terrorism is not for the weak.)
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To: tobyhill

All I need to know about the problem with the media can be traced back to an interview given by Tim Russert to the dark haired female reporter who used to sit on the Mclauglin Report panel. Can't think of her name but this is her reason for getting into Journalism - To influence policy. She said she grew up helping to raise an autistic sibling and decided she could do the most good for the cause by being a journalist and making people aware.

Remove yourself from the good cause of helping people who have autism in their lives and consider it is not the reporter's job to influence public policy. Too many people who get into the media today see it as a shortcut to political power. That is dangerous.


9 posted on 10/24/2006 12:05:41 PM PDT by kinghorse (I calls them like I sees them)
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To: tobyhill
I think all the MSM should be considered a 527 organization.

They've been "non-profits" for quite a while, haven't they?

10 posted on 10/24/2006 12:05:55 PM PDT by Night Hides Not (Closing in on 3000 posts, of which maybe 50 were worthwhile!)
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To: tobyhill
...we think the Dems are better this year...

It would never occur to them to ask whether the Dems or Reps are better this year. Do fish ask whether the water is wetter this year?

11 posted on 10/24/2006 12:06:37 PM PDT by omega4412 (Multiculturalism kills. 9/11, Beslan, Madrid, London)
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To: Night Hides Not
lol, so true.
12 posted on 10/24/2006 12:07:47 PM PDT by tobyhill (The War on Terrorism is not for the weak.)
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To: RedCell
Is there no end to their arrogance?

No.

13 posted on 10/24/2006 12:07:58 PM PDT by Doomonyou (Moderate Bumper Sticker: Bush Lied, Terrorists Died!)
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To: frogjerk
"When the media-bias issue was raised in one long-ago chat, Weingarten asserted, essentially, that journalists are more liberal than the average person because they are better informed than the average person."

Well, according to the first rule of logic, we know that cannot be the answer so there must be some other reason "journalists" are liberal...and I think I know that answer.

14 posted on 10/24/2006 12:08:00 PM PDT by evad
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To: tobyhill
This does not mean there is no subtle bias.

About as subtle as Goebbels or Pravda.

The bias is strong and obvious to anybody with an education beyond the 7th grade level. Unfortunately, that's only about 52% of the population.

15 posted on 10/24/2006 12:08:35 PM PDT by meyer (A vote for amnesty is a vote against America.)
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To: tobyhill

I missed the part where he explained why journalist lean left. Certainly nothing that infuriated me.


16 posted on 10/24/2006 12:08:51 PM PDT by Jaysun (Idiot Muslims. They're just dying to have sex orgies.)
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save


17 posted on 10/24/2006 12:09:44 PM PDT by krunkygirl
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To: Jaysun

The point was that they are claiming to be smarter than most. It doesn't infuriate me either because this whole thing just shows how dumb they really are.


18 posted on 10/24/2006 12:10:42 PM PDT by tobyhill (The War on Terrorism is not for the weak.)
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To: wideawake

Liberal bias should disqualify one from being a reporter.


19 posted on 10/24/2006 12:13:08 PM PDT by WashingtonSource
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To: kinghorse
Too many people who get into the media today see it as a shortcut to political power.

The media ran this country from 1993-2001. President Clinton took his directives from the Media, in return for fawning praise at every step.

20 posted on 10/24/2006 12:13:33 PM PDT by mallardx
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