Jon Favreau sees an unhealthy tendency in the media to presume the worst, and its corrosive effects:
... [I]t does not serve the public good when elected and government officials, be they Democrat or Republican, are constantly presumed guilty until proven innocent. When the American people are told that every action or decision is motivated by politics or power; when every mistake or misstatement is exaggerated into an instance of Nixonian malfeasance; when the line between impassioned advocacy and objective reporting ceases to exist, it does nothing but erode an already-fragile faith in our democratic institutions.
Many in the press have called for a national debate on privacy and security. And in the coming weeks, issues like climate change, immigration, and any number of controversial Supreme Court decisions will be added to the list. But national debates don’t just require a willing public, President, and Congress—they require a willing press that is able to report with a sense of nuance, patience, and perspective.Favreau hits a lot of nails on the head, but "nuance, patience, and perspective" in the press? Unfortunately, that doesn't generate clicks, sales or audience share, which is why we're where we are and why that's not likely to change.
