Looks like access to pathological liars is far more important than integrity to these three from the
In marathon first briefing, Spicer has taken tons of Qs, moved fast w/ informative answers on policies & been up front when he doesn't know.— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) January 23, 2017
Which engendered this response:
Reports of the death of access journalism are premature. https://t.co/X9gPzKEDlk— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) January 23, 2017
(That "access journalism" reference above is to an article today by Margaret Sullivan, the Bezos Bugle's media commentator saying this about Sean "Baghdad Sean" Spicer's performance yesterday: "Spicer’s statement should be seen for what it is: Remarks made over the casket at the funeral of access journalism." That's some wishful thinking there! But, let's continue.)
next four years will be a challenge to traditional political observers to start evaluating politics by content and not by its outward signs pic.twitter.com/qGvnL7dsDr— chris hooks (@cd_hooks) January 23, 2017
Surprise! Looks like Chris "Lizard" Cillizza isn't going to be up to that challenge any more than he ever was:
Totally agree. Sean handled a very difficult situation with aplomb today. https://t.co/BB1nps3wJm— Chris Cillizza (@TheFix) January 23, 2017
The fix is in. https://t.co/jfPjhr9Cz5— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) January 23, 2017
"The Fix" has always been in, of course.
Just a reminder what Russian journalist Alexey Kovalev told us would be the norm for reporters under neo- fascist authoritarian Donald "Rump" Trump, given Kovalev's experience with Rump's mentor, Russian autocrat Vladimir "Vlad the Invader" Putin:
These people are not your partners or brothers in arms. They are your rivals in a fiercely competitive, crashing market and right now the only currency in this market is whatever that man on the stage says. Whoever is lucky to ask a question and be the first to transmit the answer to the outside world wins. Don’t expect any solidarity or support from them... [snip]
...There will be people from publications that exist for no other reason than heaping fawning praise on him and attacking his enemies. But there will also be one token critic who will be allowed to ask a “sharp” question, only to be drowned in a copious amount of bullshit, and the man on the stage will always be the winner (“See? I respect the media and free speech”)...The "fourth estate" is, for the most part, a useless cast of careerists, stenographers and cowards. They'll respond to rewards (access) and punishment (lack thereof) just like the good lap dogs they are. Rump and his band of looters know this and will push to the limit, and then push some more. Access journalism is alive and well.
