JoeClarke.Net

Yahoo! News - THE ABC OUTRAGE

First, consider the latest smoking gun to emerge in the media war on George Bush (news - web sites): The internal memo written by ABC News Political Director Mark Halperin that popped up right before Friday night's Bush-Kerry debate.


Halperin, described by the network as "responsible for the planning and editorial content of all political news on the network," issued new orders.


Both sides distort the truth, he said, adding in effect that Kerry's lies don't matter — but that George W. Bush's most certainly do.


"Kerry distorts, takes out of context, and mistakes all the time, but these are not central to his efforts to win." In contrast, he wrote, "the current Bush attacks on Kerry involve distortions and taking things out of context in a way that goes beyond what Kerry has done" — a point he said was echoed by reporters from such paragons of objectivity as the above-mentioned Newsweek and The New York Times.


Then came the instructions:


"We have a responsibility to hold both sides accountable to the public interest, but that doesn't mean we reflexively and artificially hold both sides 'equally' accountable when the facts don't warrant that.


"It's up to Kerry to defend himself, of course. But as one of the few news organizations with the skill and strength to help voters evaluate what the candidates are saying to serve the public in- terest, now is the time for all of us to step up and do that right."


That is, voters need skillful, strong "help" evaluating information because they are too stupid, too ignorant or too benighted to figure out the "right" way to vote all by themselves.


They need Mark Halperin and his crew of correct-thinkers to explain things to them.