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Even the Daily Show Is Giving Up on the Sotomayor Hearings
White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
The 1,001 Handjobs of Time Magazine's Time 100
Ferguson in DC: "Shut the Hell Up, New York 'Times'"

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Bobby Big Wheel
07/15/09

In reply to Even the Daily Show Is Giving Up on the Sotomayor Hearings
The best part of that clip is when Jon Stewart mentions Carlos Mencia's not at the network any more.
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solmssen
07/15/09

In reply to Even the Daily Show Is Giving Up on the Sotomayor Hearings
This was great - but the whole Lenny Dykstra - Jim Cramer thing was amazing. Stewart cut Cramer off at the knees before, but this, this was like rubbing his now-raw-and-stumpy leg ends in salt like some sort of oozy margarita glass.
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DoctorNine
07/15/09

In reply to Even the Daily Show Is Giving Up on the Sotomayor Hearings
I wandered past a TeleVoid Device yesterday while munching a bagel, and observed her halting, calculated, monotone replies, to an obviously exasperated set of frankly somewhat hostile senators. It was painful. Nowhere did I see evidence of the brilliance that she is supposed to embody. But, as our Executive branch seems to have chosen her, instead of any other from amongst a glut of really, really well qualified candidates, she must be, right? I truly hope she is the best mind we can place on the court, however, by what I saw, I can't confirm that she is. She will have to successfully debate with Justice Roberts et al, and he isn't going to be impressed by her Horatio Alger story, only the quality of her arguments. Let's hope we aren't getting a poorer advocate than we might otherwise have had, simply to fulfill the exigencies of the culture of identity, which seems to be dominant at the moment.
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m4ximusprim3
07/15/09

@DoctorNine's D9 Cat: From what I can tell, the whole point of the confirmation hearing is to get her to say something off the cuff that they can all jump on and parade around with like a head on a stick. Being boring and monotone is the only way to not give them any ammunition.

sadly...
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Beau Nerd
07/15/09

@DoctorNine's D9 Cat: Let's also hope that we don't don't hold to the expectation that "brilliant" people must also be somehow exciting, simply to fulfill the exigencies of the culture of sensationalism, which seems to be dominant at the moment.
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DoctorNine
07/15/09

@m4ximusprim3: "..Being boring and monotone is the only way to not give them any ammunition... sadly...

Which is why it was so painful to watch. And they show no sign of just getting on with it. There seems to be some unwritten law, that whoever is unhappy with a judicial nominee, must wheedle and cajole them, regardless of the pointlessness of the whole endeavor. Left or Right, it makes no difference, apparently. Why don't they just ask her to expose her bottom, and give them a willow switch? Caning? I dunno. But it sure won't make any difference to the outcome. It exemplifies the egregious and completely out of control behavior that has become the norm in Washington. If the outcome is certain; and in this case, it pretty much IS, civilized people ought to behave better. Honestly.
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DoctorNine
07/15/09

@Beau Nerd: Hmmm... not so much that: it isn't the lack of the 'sensational' or the 'exciting' in her responses that bothers me. I instead DO expect an occasional flash of wit, and linguistic elegance. After all, whomever takes up the role of Supreme Court Justice, must build law with language. It is their tool in the same way that a bricklayer uses stone and mortar. Thus, they should demonstrate some facility with this skill. In fact, it should be one of their defining characteristics. Language is more than a pedestrian method to transmit information. It can stimulate, inspire, and elevate. It can dredge up emotion and move people, even beyond the logic of the message. Looking for inspiration here, I don't see whether or not she is capable of constructing argument in this manner. Which is why I am concerned. I want to see a flash.. a spark.. something...
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Edited by DoctorNine at 07/15/09 12:57 PM DoctorNine was starred DoctorNine was unstarred

ChillbearLatrigue
07/15/09

In reply to Even the Daily Show Is Giving Up on the Sotomayor Hearings
Since she hasn't had her complete meltdown yet and is not showing any signs of cracking under the "stress" of these proceedings, can we just confirm her. I'll concede that she's wiser than me, race and gender notwithstanding. Now, your honor, what's the story with your niece?

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i'm a bottle
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
"...Catching performances by the Foo Fighters and Jimmy Fallon." Frankly, I'd rather be in the pen with my fellow pool reporters, inserting coded snark into the pool report.
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MrInBetween
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
At the White House, July 4th was Co-Dependence Day.
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bess marvin, girl detective
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
in other words, where the fuck was gawker's ticket?!
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GisellaElectryon
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
What a scandal: Journalists actually go to off-the-record parties thrown by politicians. Whatever could they be up to? Certainly not developing sources who could clue them into important news in the future. That would be absurd. It has to be something more insidious than that. They must have been taking instruction from the White House on how to portray the president in an unfailingly positive light. That's the only reasonable interpretation for this egregious ethical violation.

Really, if Gawker is going to write about media ethics, it ought to hire some journalists who have actually know how journalism happens, so they know when something is standard practice or exceptional. This is the most ignorant post I've ever read about Washington journalism, and boy is that saying a lot.
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LeeMarvinsPants
07/09/09

@GisellaElectryon: So you're saying, if it's standard practice, even the unethical is acceptable, and not worthy of report. Wow.
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Muggs Bigglesworth
07/09/09

@GisellaElectryon: You know, I'm getting really sick of tired of the self-righteous attitude about "The Press." I totally agree with you. I have to assume that there's a fundamental lack of experience doing actual reporting - besides re-posting links and making fun of people. Consistently, they've been presenting a lack of understanding as to how actual, printed news gets reported; rather, they focus on how funny it is when people don't do it exactly as to their liking.
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ThatMother-Chucker
07/09/09

@GisellaElectryon: You obviously know too much about Washington journalism, and too little about ethical journalism.
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contains_hot_liquid
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
Okay. I was there. I didn't want to tell anybody but sometimes you have to keep things quiet. Be social. Stand by the pool. Hand out hors d'oeuvres.
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Trixie from Toronto
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
This is standard in Canada, anyway. You get invited to the Press Gallery dinner, for example, and you agree not to report on it. It is viewed as a rare opportunity for both journalists and politicians to let their guard down and act like real people; for contact to be made without anyone fearing they're being spun and/or about to be gotcha-ed.

If someone violates the rules and reports on one of these rare events, it is frowned upon by other journalists. It has happened on occasion.

I don't think it's such a terrible thing to do once a year or so from a journalistic perspective. It can give you a rare glimpse of a politician when he's not glad-handing and that can be valuable in understanding the people you're covering.
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Edited by Trixie from Toronto at 07/09/09 1:36 PM

SinisterRouge
07/09/09

@Trixie from Toronto: I can see how from a journalist's perspective it's cool and I can see why it'd be nice to have that if you're the President.

However, America has long had a problem with letting the press corps and the White House be too chummy. Remember McCain and his "the press is my base" comment? Not a good thing. Part of the Bushie problem was that the press was entirely too friendly with the White House.

The press needs to maintain objectivism. Though American press seems to have a big, HUGE problem with this. So hanging out and watching fireworks with the Obamas just leaves a bad taste IMO.

Then again, the press in Canada is much, MUCH better than the press here. American press corps aren't able to distinguish between making personal connections with those in influence and objective reporting.
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Trixie from Toronto
07/09/09

@SinisterRouge: I disagree, and think you are unfairly tarring all journalists with one brush (and Canada isn't any better or worse on this front), but we'll scrap it out in private where I will smack your hot ass.
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SinisterRouge
07/09/09

@Trixie from Toronto: I disagree with your disagreement but we'll work it out in private when I beat your hot ass.
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SinisterRouge
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
"These are the same people who just a week ago were whining in the press briefing about Obama's malicious and dastardly attempts to "control the press.""

Yes. Because making reporters and people that run the press corps special guests at a backyard barbecue with the President has no other purpose other than that Barry is just a swell guy with some extra backyard room.

Come on now. I like the guy as much as any other liberal New Yorker, but let's not pretend that this wasn't an obvious way of making the press corp feel special and insidery while they chatted up Michelle and played catch with Bo.

Making them feel like elite guests is exactly how you control them.
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Edited by SinisterRouge at 07/09/09 1:26 PM SinisterRouge was starred SinisterRouge was unstarred

agameofchess
07/09/09

@SinisterRouge: Yes! By making the press corps feel like they're part of the club, Barry controls it better than Rove ever could. Who wants to talk shit about their buddy to the entire world?
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kimberlydebarge
07/09/09

@SinisterRouge: I have to ask: Uh, so? If politicians are attempting to coddle and control the press (as they always are), isn't it the press's job to see through that and respond accordingly?
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mikeysee
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
I went to Bush 4th of July party once. On-the-record, but no beer. It sucked and I left early.
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Awesome X
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
An old buddy from college is a White House correspondent, and the tone of his Facebook status updates are typically along the lines of, "Ohhh, it's soooo hard being in this White House basement. Did I mention that I'm in the White House basement? With the Obamas? The President?" It's like the asshole co-worker who won't stop talking about his goddamn trip to Greece, except it lasts for four years. These guys will never stop being impressed with themselves or their surroundings. Or the president's barbecue.
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anibundel
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
I knew about it. But that's because I know the people who put the Foo's one-off rig in.
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contains_hot_liquid
07/09/09

@anibundel:
A Foo's one-off ring?

Is that like a Swedish contraceptive?
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anibundel
07/09/09

@contains_hot_liquid: Rig, not Ring. That was not a typo.
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Aaron Altman
07/09/09

In reply to White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ
I wonder if Nico Pitney got an invite.
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