Herman Cain has attacked the media for giving the sexual harrassment allegations story more legs than he feels it deserves. In a video bite last week, he ordered a staffer to send one reporter, who was persistently seeking his comment, a copy of the "journalistic code of ethics."
I'm not sure which "code" Cain wanted the reporter to follow but I looked up the one drawn by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). Yes, it calls for accuracy in reporting. Yes it calls for reporters to make every attempt to identify the sources of stories. It also states, "Diligently seek out subjects of news stories to give them the opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing."
Maybe Cain didn't read that part.
Cain, like many politicians of both parties, seems to feel he can dictate what's news and what isn't. That he can snuff the story because it makes him uncomfortable. To me, that's dictatorial, not Presidential.
In twenty-five years spent covering public officials, I found that the ones who rubuked or belittled me for asking questions usually had something to hide.
I think Herman Cain does, too.
**Full disclosure. One of Herman Cain's accusers, Sharon Bialek, worked at WGN Radio during the time I freelanced there. To the best of my knowledge, we never met.**
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Thursday, January 21, 2010
In the News...
Three stories in the news caught my eye today.
Betty Broderick is up for parole. Back in the early nineties, she shot and killed her ex-husband and his much younger wife after a really nasty divorce. She portrayed herself as a victim and a bunch of women supported her. She became the poster child for housewives who feared their husbands would dump them for younger babes. That happens so frequently in California. Books were written about her. Merideth Baxter (from "Family Ties")played her in a couple of TV movies.
Frankly a prosecutor friend of mine put it best: the solution for a bad marriage is divorce, not murder. Especially not a double murder where the killer slips into the house and kills the happy couple in bed.
A big thumbs down on Betty to the California Parole Board. No, I don't think she's a risk to society at large. But I sure wouldn't lay odds on the survivability of any new boyfriend who pisses her off.
Speaking of "victims," Conan O'Brien is reportedly signing a deal today that will give him $32 million to leave NBC in the wake of the Jay Leno fiasco. His staff will split an additional $12 million. It's been one of the better and more fun stories to watch in this grim new year. A bunch of idiots with money to burn screwing each other.
And now, thanks to the US Supreme Court, another bunch of idiots with money to burn will be able to use it to bankroll American elections.
The Supremes ruled today that business, unions and non-profits can contribute more freely to political candidates. It's a freedom of speech thing, say the Justices.
My favorite quote comes from Justice Anthony Kennedy, one of the High Court's conservative members, voting with the majority.
He says, "The appearance of influence or access," he wrote, "will not cause the electorate to lose faith in our democracy."
Oh really?
Betty Broderick is up for parole. Back in the early nineties, she shot and killed her ex-husband and his much younger wife after a really nasty divorce. She portrayed herself as a victim and a bunch of women supported her. She became the poster child for housewives who feared their husbands would dump them for younger babes. That happens so frequently in California. Books were written about her. Merideth Baxter (from "Family Ties")played her in a couple of TV movies.
Frankly a prosecutor friend of mine put it best: the solution for a bad marriage is divorce, not murder. Especially not a double murder where the killer slips into the house and kills the happy couple in bed.
A big thumbs down on Betty to the California Parole Board. No, I don't think she's a risk to society at large. But I sure wouldn't lay odds on the survivability of any new boyfriend who pisses her off.
Speaking of "victims," Conan O'Brien is reportedly signing a deal today that will give him $32 million to leave NBC in the wake of the Jay Leno fiasco. His staff will split an additional $12 million. It's been one of the better and more fun stories to watch in this grim new year. A bunch of idiots with money to burn screwing each other.
And now, thanks to the US Supreme Court, another bunch of idiots with money to burn will be able to use it to bankroll American elections.
The Supremes ruled today that business, unions and non-profits can contribute more freely to political candidates. It's a freedom of speech thing, say the Justices.
My favorite quote comes from Justice Anthony Kennedy, one of the High Court's conservative members, voting with the majority.
He says, "The appearance of influence or access," he wrote, "will not cause the electorate to lose faith in our democracy."
Oh really?
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