SmithAntics

The snack-sized Alterman.

Let's get this straight everybody. Journalists are socially liberal, just like every single well-educated, well-paid group of urban professionals. On occasion this shows up in the coverage, when it comes to say, creationists and people who think homosexuals should burn in Hell sooner rather than later. But even on this issue set, where attitudes are consistent, there is evidence of considerable effort to bend over backwards to be nice to Bible-thumpers. On most political issues, however, journalists are not only not liberal, they are often more sympathetic to the conservatives than to the liberals; this is in part a reflection of their economic status and in part a reflection of the fact that they are but a weathervane of the force of gale winds attacking them and until recently, just about all the attacks have been coming from the right.

Add this to the fact of corporate demands that no major segment of the audience be offended and you end up with coverage that politically speaking, favors the right almost every time. Look at the impeachment coverage and Whitewater. Look at the 2000 election. Look at Florida. Look at the run-up to this horrific war. Look at the coverage of this extremely moderate if not downright conservative Democratic convention.

If Chris Matthews and Wolf Blitzer constitute the "liberal" media then we really do need to find another country.

Damn good summation. Here’s the longer version.