Our minds on media.

I’ll admit, Moveon.org has gotten on my nerves more often than not lately, but their most recent email really does point to a genuine problem. Ron Fournier, Bureau Chief of the Associated Press offices in Washington, D.C. really seems to be bent on ruining the AP’s reputation for journalistic integrity. These are excerpts from an AP article regarding the democrat’s vice presidential pick:

The candidate of change went with the status quo. In picking Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate, Barack Obama sought to shore up his weakness—inexperience in office and on foreign policy…He picked a 35-year veteran of the Senate—the ultimate insider…The Biden selection is the next logistical step in an Obama campaign that has become more negative…” (Emphasis added)

So, I wrote the Louisville Courier-Journal the following letter:

I was shocked to read the AP story about Barack Obama’s vice presidential pick in our paper–shocked because there was no mistaking the slant that the article had decided to take. The article referred to Senator Biden as the “status quo” and as “the ultimate insider” while simultaneously justifying the choice (for the reader) that the choice was because of Senator Obama’s “inexperience” and “weakness” in foreign policy.

These are not facts! These are opinions and they have no place in an Associated Press article. The AP should report facts. Joe Biden was chosen. He has been a member of the senate for 35 years. He has passed x, y, and z legislation.

Editors for the Louisville Courier-Journal should be very considered about their own journalistic integrity if they are willing to publish these editorial pieces from the AP instead of unvarnished and balanced facts. Wikipedia has less bias than this tripe.

Sincerely, Russell Warner

I would suggest that you write your local paper as well, and moveon.org has provided a fairly simple way to do it. The AP has held and distinguished and unique place in the fourth estate. They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this.