Monday, July 28, 2008
Talk, it's only talk ...
... Comments, cliches, commentary, controversy
So many are looking at the digital spike the LA Times has driven into the Edwards affair allegation and questioning why supposedly poor sourcing has left them so cautious when a similar problem with the McCain allegation earlier did not. Silly rabbit, trick like these are not for kids, but for sophisticated trained professional journalists. Fortunately for my three or four readers, I managed to swipe a glance at the official journalist manual of standards and found the applicable loophole.
You see, right now the National Enquirer is reporting that Edwards has not only had an affair with the lady in question, but has even sired a child. However, no independent objective quality evidence to support this allegation has delivered to their offices. Therefore, the allegation is poorly sourced and should not be reported or commented upon. In the McCain affair, however, the New York Times and others never actually alleged that any affair took place. You see, the story in that case was that such allegations had been made and these allegations were made by more than one person and directly reported to the news paper. Therefore, the news that allegations had been made was absolutely true, had multiple sources and was directly known to the reporter (since it was directly to the reporter that these allegations had been made).
Once you think about it the difference is so obvious. No wonder conservatives are viewed as lacking in nuance.
So many are looking at the digital spike the LA Times has driven into the Edwards affair allegation and questioning why supposedly poor sourcing has left them so cautious when a similar problem with the McCain allegation earlier did not. Silly rabbit, trick like these are not for kids, but for sophisticated trained professional journalists. Fortunately for my three or four readers, I managed to swipe a glance at the official journalist manual of standards and found the applicable loophole.
You see, right now the National Enquirer is reporting that Edwards has not only had an affair with the lady in question, but has even sired a child. However, no independent objective quality evidence to support this allegation has delivered to their offices. Therefore, the allegation is poorly sourced and should not be reported or commented upon. In the McCain affair, however, the New York Times and others never actually alleged that any affair took place. You see, the story in that case was that such allegations had been made and these allegations were made by more than one person and directly reported to the news paper. Therefore, the news that allegations had been made was absolutely true, had multiple sources and was directly known to the reporter (since it was directly to the reporter that these allegations had been made).
Once you think about it the difference is so obvious. No wonder conservatives are viewed as lacking in nuance.
