Just the Facts, Ma'am

   "I don't think it's the job of the media to be virtual fact checkers," according to Kellyanne Conway, campaign manager for Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate.
   Wrong, Ms. Conway. That's precisely the news media's job, and the sooner and more thoroughly, the better.

   As posted here June 1, under the title Diss Train, "Trump's policy statements -- such as they are -- show an appalling ignorance of the real world of government, economics, diplomacy and international relations."
   "Meanwhile, a watchful, independent and free press has a job to do, informing the public in general and voters in particular of every flaw, error and downright lie in his speeches."
   
   As Harry Truman once put it, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

   And to borrow from Woody Guthrie,
      This train don't carry no liars this train
      This train don't carry no liars, con men,
      Wheeler dealers, here and gone men.

   So it is in fact journalism's job to check the candidates' veracity, especially during live televised debates, and it is the moderator's duty to call out the distortions, half-truths, misstatements and other nonsense perpetrated by them, and to do it then and there.
   And if you don't like it, get off the train.