“…(C)onservative hysteria has made America all-but ungovernable

for anyone but conservatives…” ‘Objectivity’ RIP. Eric Alterman, in The Nation, meditates on Dan Rather’s abandonment of all pretense of journalistic impartiality in his Letterman appearance, ABC President David Westin’s cave-in to conswervative [sic: this was a typo but I kind of like the effect, so it remains. –FmH] attack after a brief attempt to maintain some objectivity, and other evidence that “there ain’t nobody here but us chickens” in the media.

“Most infuriating about the right’s capture of the media since the war is the fact that,

according to the Pew study, nearly three-quarters of the respondents say they want news

that includes the views of America’s enemies, and just over half say reporters should dig

hard for information rather than trust official sources. So just why are the media wimping

out exactly when tough, critical reporting is not only crucial for the functioning of

democracy but is also being demanded by their audience?” [thanks, Adam]