I just don't get it. Have ALL standards gone out the window? Are
there no requirements left for balance and fairness in TV news?
After 60 Minutes did was I thought was
the worst piece of journalism I have ever
seen, Dan Abrams last night on MSNBC equalled the 60 Minutes
depths of journalistic slime. He put on the air both Siegelman's
attorney and the Rove accuser, Dana Jill Simpson... but he refused,
utterly refused, multiple offers to put on the air anybody who
would refute their stories. (He noted one written statement from
the Alabama Republican Party, but would not give anybody on their
side any air time.) Moreover, just like 60 Minutes, he allowed
Simpson to make her nutty allegations without ever asking any of
the obvious follow-up questions -- not just obvious, but basic
question utterly demanded by ordinary journalistic ethics -- of the
sort I outlined in my post-60 Minutes blog entry. Again: Where was
the meeting with Rove? Exactly when was the meeting? What was the
purpose of the meeting? Was anybody else there? Is there any other
corroborating evidence? Why did Rove approach her, of all people?
Etc., etc., etc.
And again, to repeat, nobody was allowed on the air to refute these
wild and baseless allegations. Heck, he didn't need to put on a
partisan GOPer; all he needed to do was to put on any of several
award winning Alabama journalists (including one Pulitzer Prize
winner) who have covered this story and who obviously find Simpson
not credible.
Speaking of not being credible, that is what Dan Abrams is,
too.