Rather wants Obama to rescue media, but Dems already did

News icon Dan Rather gave a speech in Aspen Tuesday, calling on President Barack Obama to form a “White House commission to help save the press.” The Aspen Daily News reported Rather wants “a commission on media reform” to work on saving journalism jobs and form “new business models to keep news organizations alive.” Rather tripped up, however, on his symbolism. Perhaps in an attempt at bad poetry or melodrama, he said, “A truly free and independent press is the red beating heart of democracy and freedom.”

If you ask me, government has done a great job of providing for journalists. Long time Democrat Chris Matthews worked for Democrats before he switched to journalism and got leg shivers when Obama spoke. George Stephanopoulos was the Clintons’ man before he signed on as ABC News’ dapper chief Washington correspondent. The reporter Newsweek had covering the Obama campaign has gone to work for (shock!) the Obama administration. Exactly how objective can dedicated Democrats be?

Obama’s done a super job helping media. Politico reported in early 2009, “In three months since Election Day, at least a half-dozen prominent journalists have taken jobs working for the federal government.”

The fellow I call Obama’s Karl Rove (with apologies to Mr. Rove) worked for The Chicago Tribune where he did political reporting. And as Politico disclosed, reporters from Time magazine, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post and other blue chip media all went to work in Obama’s administration within 3 months of the election.

Sounds like media needs reform all right, but I think Rather and I are talking about a different kind of reform.

To truly protect freedom, government and media should function separately and independently. The last thing government needs to do is bail out media or form one of those Democratic “thinkative” groups to help save the sort of media Rather admires—blue chippers whose hearts beat faster when a Democratic politico is in the house. Democrats always want to save something even if we don't want to be saved.

Sadly many Americans rely on those same media outlets for information about their government. And those same Americans have no idea they’re often getting pages from the Democratic strategists’ playbook. Blue chip media has given cheerleading a whole new political dimension.

Media like Time and The Washington Post should save themselves. The government is already involved enough with blue chip media. When people ask me where to get news, I give them the best advice I can:

•Watch C-Span. You can see your legislators’ true colors. It’s my opinion cameras should be put in every committee meeting room in Congress. Then you could see lobbyists’ and unions’ true colors as well.
•Read blogs. With reputable blogs, we tell you where we’re coming from. You go to Red State or Red County, you get meat and potatoes conservatism and there’s no pretense otherwise.
•Make Thomas your best friend. Read the legislation for yourself by using the search engine at the Library of Congress—skim if you must, but read it. Because your legislators aren’t and I guarantee you most blue chip media aren’t either.
•Keep up with what your representatives and senators are doing. And vote accordingly.
•If you watch a major network for your news, bear in mind there’s always a political slant. Fox is one of the only networks that puts real liberals on alongside real conservatives. Most public networks put conservative “lites” on with Dem moderates.
•Read The Wall Street Journal, one of the last bastions of real reportage in the land. Read The Christian Science Monitor for global coverage—the multiple Pulitzer prize winner is about to launch a print mag. Read your local newspaper—ignore the wire stories and read what your hometown journalists write. If your local newspaper is a blue chipper, you have my sympathy.
•Read The National Enquirer—they usually scoop the politicos before anyone else has the nerve. Case in point—John Edwards and his love triangle largely ignored by blue chippers. The guy could’ve been president. I don’t know why elitists bash The Enquirer. There’s absolutely no difference between Blue Chippers and tabloids except tabloids don’t pretend to be something they’re not.
•For Dem-slanted news, turn to ABC. They do the best job of lobbying for Obama, in my opinion, and for print The New York Times or The Washington Post. Or The Chicago Tribune. Or MSNBC. Or NBC.

If you rely on Internet news, use a variety of search engines. Be aware left-leaning results will usually appear first, so scroll down if you want some balance.

Dan Rather’s had his quirky moments, but the idea government should manipulate media any more than it already does is ludicrous. Those failing bottom lines are an indication Americans are not as stupid as the political class perceives.

Rather wants Obama to rescue media, but Dems already did
by Kay B. Day
The US Report, Jul. 30, 2009