Are you sure you're not really in love with this blog stuff? Guess "slow down" is all a matter of perspective.



Before I waste some virtual breath on your observations on our press, I would note that Calpundit is both "selling out" and has sold cat-blogging fans down the river.



(okay, the snide tone was just for fun)



1) "There seems to be something wrong with a system where disguising the editorializing via a straw-mouthpiece is acceptable."



Wow. The trouble here is that sometimes it's not the reporter really editorializing, but could be two other possibilities...



* The reporter might be trying to obtain representative viewpoints on the issue, but it's so hot that savvy experts won't go on record.



* The reporter might be trying to capitalize on the controversy, and thus be seeking to find extreme/interesting comments.



The latter case can also be bad, but not editorializing.



It can be tough to detect subtle ethical violations in journalism, and then what's the payoff... Apparently, nothing. Patriot Novak is still pontificating, and pushing around critics. But let's not get fatalistic.



The political climate shift has certainly dragged the weakness of our press into the light. Yet I'm in a forgiving mood, I see more truth in print now (via blog links of course, I could not survive outside the echo chamber), so all is well.



2) What brought down Lott was the pattern of statements appealing to good-ole-boy segregationists. He would not take the prohibition against such to heart, and he deserved the white hot focus of the press in attack mode.



How the blogsphere helps on something like the Lott (Thurmond Birthday Party) story is that bloggers do not have editors managing their time, so background work required to make the story does not get sidelined.



I think the press did the right thing on the Lott story, a good job. Unfortunately, the more I learn about "Good People" Frist, it seems clear the American People got dealt a bad hand.



I would keep Frist away from blogs... I don't think he can be trusted with the truth, or cats.

Hi, Seth: Who says "everyone's a journalist"?

Jay:

One example, for almost those exact words:

http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/techjournalism/2004/02/05

"This is an experiment in interactive, participatory journalism. And in the new age of blogging, we are ALL journalists."

Although it's not exclusive to anyone in particular, by far.

Sean: Mea Culpa on backsliding - I want to be *heard*.

I don't think every instance of reaction-seeking is unethical, and certainly some good can come of it. But the "sock-puppetry" is still disturbing to me.