Rush To Misjudgment
Editor & Publisher editor Gregg Mitchell (a stand-up guy, if the fact that he once personally mailed me an E&P issue I never received is any indication) found himself rather creatively quoted this week. Former New York Times publisher Abe Rosenthal wrote in The New York Sun, "The other day, an editor of Editor & Publisher, a trade paper, said all American journalists should come out in unity and demand the American withdrawal from Iraq."
Noted New York Times detractor Rush Limbaugh then parroted the Rosenthal party line. I guess Rush is quite happy to be convinced something's true as long as he agrees with it. Unfortunately, Rosenthal got the "a," "an," and "the" parts of what he wrote right, but not much more. Mitchell was quick to bitchslap Rosenthal in print:
This did not speak well for a man who once headed The New York Times. E&P is a magazine, not a "paper," although that has only been true for, oh, a century or so. I am the editor, not an editor, as plainly pegged on the column. More importantly, I did not say anything close to what he had me saying. Other than that: good job.Rosenthal went on: "The planned unity of newspapers, television, and magazines is not my idea of good journalism -- or journalism at all."
Now, on this point, one can only agree. The problem is, I never called for any such thing.
My May 7 column was not addressed to "all American journalists" (print, TV, radio, Internet), and not even all newspaper journalists. It was aimed only at those who decide on editorials for the nation's largest newspapers -- and it did not, in any case, advocate that they "all" do anything. I merely suggested that at least ONE major paper come out for a phased U.S. pullout from Iraq -- as opposed to, say, sending more troops, which has been the favored position.
It seemed like a modest request, since the most recent USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll shows that 47% of the public now want us to bring home some or all of our troops. I imagine it's over 50% by now, the way things are going.
Subsequently, on CNN, I put that request in even more humble terms: I asked major newspapers to "consider advocating" a phased U.S. pullout from Iraq, or at the minimum begin a "healthy debate" on this subject.
Why did Rosenthal grossly mischaracterize what I am seeking? Perhaps he is afraid of that "healthy debate" on Iraq.
And, of course, it is Rosenthal himself who ends up calling for "planned unity" by urging all editors "to present background stories about the millions killed by Saddam" -- or else be branded "truly embarrassing."
What's "truly embarrassing" is the complete lack of embarrassment Rosenthal, Rush, and various self-promoters in the guise of public interest (Coulter, Hannity, and Michael Moore, just for starters) have about passing off lies and distortions as truths -- as long as it serves their particular partisan position. Come on, can't any of you viles even work up a tiny tinge of pink in the face about that?
(via Kevin Roderick's LAObserved)