"Nobody every went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." -- H.L. Mencken
Protect me from your True Believers. -- A cynic's prayer.
Insults and mockery do not substitute for intelligence and competence.
The most powerful weapon news reporters have is embarrassment, and truth has a way of embarrassing politicians. Some, however, are beyond embarrassment, and count on their beguiling looks and personality -- often so successful in the past -- to get them through sticky situations and pesky news reports that persist in exposing wrongdoing.
Their defense, then, is a strategy of denial and blaming the media, despite overwhelming evidence of their guilt.
Independent news media are essential to the successful functioning of a democratic society, and reporters fail in their moral obligation when they ignore or neglect to expose problems that should be dealt with.
However, just as there are incompetent politicians and greedy business executives, there are also incompetent reporters and greedy publishers.
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