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NewsBusters -- continuing to embarrass themselves

March 23, 2010 11:46 am ET by Simon Maloy

I've been trying to figure out what it is that enables NewsBusters to stand out as a beacon of ineptitude in an online environment that is positively saturated with thickheaded right-wingers making incoherent complaints about the "liberal media." And I think I've hit upon it.

It's not just that their arguments don't make sense; they're also wildly and comically inconsistent.

Take, for example, their reaction yesterday to Sunday's health care vote, in which they posted two entries attacking the media for referring to the passage of health care reform as "historic." Now, say what you will about the bill's merits, but it's indisputable that such a major overhaul of the nation's health care system is "historic," whether you believe that the bill will improve the lives of all Americans or turn the country into the next Soviet Union.

But today, NewsBuster Noel Sheppard pens an entry that twice refers to the health care vote as "historic," and criticizes CNN's Rick Sanchez for not spending more time reporting on its historicalness:

On the day after the historic healthcare reform vote in the House of Representatives, CNN's Rick Sanchez decided to use his interview with Congressman Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) to bash former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.

[...]

Add it all up, in a six minute interview with a member of Congress just hours after a historic vote in the House, Sanchez spent half of the time chatting with the man about his caustic opinion of Sarah Palin.

Now THAT'S good journalism.

Just so we're clear, NewsBusters' position is that reporting on the "historic" nature of the health care vote is bad journalism, unless doing so means you won't say something mean about Sarah Palin, at which point it becomes good journalism.

Don't try and make sense of it all. Just point and laugh. That's what we do.

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    • Author by marco21 (March 23, 2010 11:55 am ET)
      3 1
      Why would anyone "bash" the Wasilia hillbilly?

      Report Abuse
      • Author by foghornleghorn (March 23, 2010 12:49 pm ET)
        1 1
        Bible Spice should be revered. Is she on this season't Dancing With the Stars?
        Report Abuse
    • Author by jediknight65 (March 23, 2010 11:56 am ET)
      2 1
      redbeard the pirate is gasping his last. i refer to the overlord brent bozell
      Report Abuse
    • Author by ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© (March 23, 2010 12:23 pm ET)
      2 1
      Just point and laugh. That's what we do.

      There you go again! I warned Sadly, No! that MMfA was stealing their turf...
      ~
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Midnight Kevin (March 23, 2010 12:36 pm ET)
      2 1
      It would have only been historic had the GOP succeeded in blocking the bill...
      ---------------------
      The Midnight Review
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    • Author by clearstate (March 23, 2010 3:42 pm ET)
      1 1
      Sanchez spent half of the time chatting with the man about his caustic opinion of Sarah Palin.


      Why not? Fox does it every day with people who bash Obama. Its written somewhere in their contracts.
      Report Abuse