If anyone has any doubts that the media has been co-opted by conservatives, one only has to look at the media's recent debate "truth squads" and the reaction to the press questioning whether truth checks should be comprehensive rather than artificial balance.
After each of the recent debates the networks, and many news organizations, ran truth checks of what the candidates said during the debates. The media would usually run through an equal list of questionable statements by each candidate, giving the impression that both candidates were equally stretching the truth.
ABC's political director Mark Halperin wrote a now-leaked memo saying there is no need for artificial balance in truth-squadding the claims and charges of the Bush and Kerry campaigns.
USA Today reported, Halperin stated in his memo, "though both sides need to be held accountable, it doesn't mean “we reflexively and artificially hold both sides ‘equally' accountable when the facts don't warrant that.”
As the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz said "In other words, if one side is using a howitzer and the other a popgun, you don't have to portray them as both firing ammunition, without making distinctions."
Imagine that, rather than just running a top five or so list of questionable claims by each candidate, Halperin suggested putting the number of claims in perspective. Sounds sensible, but apparently conservatives disagree.
Rightwing radio talk show host Laura Ingraham said the memo “is blatantly an expression of partisanship on the part of ABC News,” according to USA Today. “Halperin should make it official and move down to Washington to join the Democratic National Committee.”
Gee, what if the public were to find out that Bush, to us the words William Safire once used on another White House occupant, is a congenital liar? Is it appropriate for the press to say “Kerry exaggerates but Bush tells a number of whoppers?” Apparently Ms. Ingraham and conservatives demand the “both candidates made questionable claims” line instead.
Fox anchor Chris Wallace said: "An ABC News memo has been leaked that suggests the network is holding President Bush and Senator Kerry to different standards." He's right. Bush gets to fib as much as he wants but will only be held accountable to the same extent as Kerry.
What a deal, and as blogger Josh Marshall points out, Ingraham is not alone in her reaction.
"The most noteworthy thing I've seen in the right-wing response is that there seems to be little effort to deny or engage the question of whether the Bush campaign is being qualitatively more dishonest than the Kerry campaign. All the whining is focused on the fact that any news organization would have the temerity to try to distinguish between them."
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