Amazing.
NBC’s Chuck Todd has this very revealing bit in Politico today.
Targeting, among others, Glenn Beck (by name) and, not by name, Roger Ailes and Arianna Huffington.
Dissing Beck as a “radio DJ” using “crazy language” to deliver “outrageous rants,” for which he should be taken off the air, Todd goes on to foam that “actual journalists” may be headed toward a Beckian world of Howard Beales, the unhinged TV star from the film Network.
“It’s getting nuts that the folks who are creating the perception of an ideological/polarized media world are people who have never really spent their lives being journalists. Whether it’s former political consultants-turned-TV execs or former radio DJs, or former California socialites, the folks helping to accelerate the public’s perception of the media off a cliff made their livings trying to do other things.”
Hmm… News flash for Chuck. Here’s a list of liberals/progressives who “never really spent their lives being journalists.” I don’t recall a word about them from you.
Tim Russert — the onetime aide to Democratic New York Governor Mario Cuomo and Democratic New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan was made the host of Meet the Press by NBC. That would be Chuck’s network. Where Russert was also the Washington bureau chief for NBC News.
Bill Moyers — the onetime ordained minister from Texas began his career in the mailroom of Democratic Senator Lyndon B. Johnson. From the mailroom Moyers worked his way to being a senior political aide to Senator Johnson, the liaison between 1960 Democratic candidates JFK and his running mate LBJ. Next he was a Kennedy appointee as Deputy Director of the Peace Corps. When LBJ became president, Moyers went along as a special assistant and then White House press secretary, the Robert Gibbs of his day. He is now the host of his own TV show on PBS, has been an editor and commentator at CBS News and the editor of Newsday.
Chris Matthews — former aide to Democratic U.S. Senators Frank Moss (Utah) and Edmund Muskie (Maine). Next there was time as a speechwriter for Democratic President Jimmy Carter and senior aide to Democratic House Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill. In case you’ve missed this, Chuck, Chris is the host of a television show called Hardball on, well, MSNBC.
George Stephanopoulos — former aide to Democratic Congressman Ed Feighan (Ohio), Democratic Presidential nominee and Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis, Democratic House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt (Missouri) and, last but not least, a senior aide to President Bill Clinton. George is now both the host of ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos and the Chief Washington correspondent for ABC News.
Paul Begala — Ex-Clinton White House aide became a co-host of CNN’s Crossfire and is now a network commentator.
One could go on — and on — here. This list also contains names like MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough (ex-Florida Republican Congressman), ABC’s Diane Sawyer (ex-White House aide to P resident Nixon), MSNBC’s Pat Buchanan (who actually began his career as a newspaper journalist before becoming famous as an aide to President Nixon).
For the record, as someone who is listed as a contributing editor to The American Spectator and writes a column — I too worked for a U.S. Congressman (Bud Shuster, R-PA), U.S. Senator (John Heinz, R-PA), a President ( Ronald Reagan) and a Cabinet Secretary (Jack Kemp.)
Oh. Let’s not forget that billboard salesman named…Ted Turner.
Truth, Chuck? If all you people who spent a life in journalism hadn’t turned journalism into a codeword for liberal political activism, maybe Roger Ailes and Glenn Beck and all the rest of us would be doing something else.
Come to think of it, if you believe this strongly about this, will you be quitting journalism when your network hires Robert Gibbs?
