The lack of reaction to a New York Times report filed by Jeremy Peters on July 15 and found on the front page of the its July 16 print edition has, at least to me, been nothing short of stunning.
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What Peters told readers, in essence, is that White House officials, the Obama administration in general, the Obama for America campaign, the campaign of presidential challenger Mitt Romney (though the evidence Peters provided is thin and seems to relate largely to the candidate’s family), and powerful Washington politicians on Capitol Hill are dictating what the press will print concerning their nonpublic statements and remarks — and that the press is, for the most part, acquiescing with little if any objection.
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Consider the following excerpts from Peters’ production:
• “[T]he (Obama campaign’s) press office has veto power over what statements can be quoted and attributed by name.”
• “Quote approval is standard practice for the Obama campaign, used by many top strategists and almost all midlevel aides in Chicago and at the White House.”
• “From Capitol Hill to the Treasury Department, interviews granted only with quote approval have become the default position.”
• “It was difficult to find a news outlet that had not agreed to quote approval, albeit reluctantly.” Ratner believes that the Associated Press and McClatchy are exceptions; I’m less than convinced.
• “Many journalists spoke about the editing only if granted anonymity, an irony that did not escape them.”
The irony may not have escaped them, but integrity apparently has.
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(Excerpt) Read more at pjmedia.com ...
