INDEPENDENCE: Armstrong Williams is not on the Lying in Ponds roster, but David Corn reports that he said that there might be other pundits accepting money from the Bush administration without disclosure. If Mr. Williams had been on the roster, I would have dropped him, on the grounds that he could no longer even pretend to be independent. Several of our pundits have weighed in -- Clarence Page, Harold Meyerson, Kathleen Parker, Linda Chavez, Michelle Malkin, and George Will. I was particularly interested in something Ms. Parker said:
The deal was that Williams would devote some airtime to promoting the Bush administration's "No Child Left Behind" education-reform program on his syndicated television show and interview Education Department officials from time to time. The rub came when Williams also promoted the program in his syndicated column, which, given its play in the journalism arena, is perceived as an independent voice.
I've argued here that all of our political columnists claim to be independent, that truly independent voices from the left and right are vital, and that the excessive partisanship shown by the gorillas of shrillness at the top of the Lying in Ponds rankings amounts to advertising taking the place of journalism. A columnist could choose to sacrifice independence with or without accepting payment -- the money only helps to make the transformation easier to see.
| Author/ Affiliation |
Title/ Date |
words | PI | Partisan References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David S. Broder Washington Post |
Shaping Our Defense 13 January 2005 |
869 | 92 | 11R+,1R= The unusual: Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge "For us: Ridge No one,: Ridge Donald Plusquellic,: Ridge Ridge enjoyed: Ridge That is: Ridge A bigger: Ridge, Ridge Making space: Ridge "You can't: Ridge As Ridge: Ridge, Michael Chertoff |
| Molly Ivins Creators Syndicate |
As a matter of fact 13 January 2005 |
972 | 85 | 1R+,12R- 01.13.05 -: president of the United States Let's try: the president, the president The memo: Karl Rove, administration There's no: Bush administration, Bushies Even the: administration, administration, Bush, Colin Powell And now: administration, administration |
| Richard Cohen Washington Post |
Hollow Accountability 13 January 2005 |
941 | 81 | 1R+,18R-,2R= It took: President Bush, administration, Bush Let us: the president Don Rumsfeld,: Don Rumsfeld Condi Rice,: Condi Rice, the president Vice President: Vice President Cheney Bush's observation: Bush, Bush Liars get: Bush As others: Bush, The Reagans Later, "60: Bush administration Now it: Bush, GOP, White House, Republican National Committee, Ed Gillespie, President Bush, administration |
| Ann Coulter Universal Press Syndicate |
Liar, liar, now you're fired 13 January 2005 |
1654 | 66 | 8D-,2D=,14R+,3R-,2R= If CNN: George Bush Dan Rather: Kerry, Bill Clinton Responding to: George Bush If only: Bush Admittedly, Juanita: Clinton, Bill Clinton, Bush, Clinton Fortunately for: Bill Clinton, Bush Among the: president He blamed: Bush He had: Bush, Democrats He had: Bush In exchange: Kerry It seems: President Bush, Bush Instead, Mapes: Republican, John McCain, the president "Mapes told: Condi Rice Mapes really: George Bush Actually, Mapes: Republicans, Republican, Dick Thornburgh If Fox: Kerry, Kerry |
| Robert Novak Creators Syndicate |
Social Security rubicon 13 January 2005 |
1032 | 34 | 8D+,8D-,15D=,23R+,1R-,10R= WASHINGTON --: Republican, Lindsey Graham, Democrats Four Democratic: Democratic, Graham, Republican, Graham Crossing Graham's: Graham, Democrats, President Bush, Republican Party, Republicans The meeting: Graham, Graham, Chuck Grassley, Judd Gregg, Graham Gregg is: Gregg, Gregg, Democratic, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Bob Kerrey, Chuck Robb, John Breaux, Democrats, Bill Clinton Now, all: Democrats, Democrats, Graham, Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln, Max Baucus, Bush, Nelson, White House The most: Baucus, Democrat, Bush Even more: Kent Conrad, Democrat, Conrad, Bush, Conrad, Graham Buying into: Graham, Democrat, Gene Sperling, Clinton administration, Graham, Sperling, Bush, Sperling Indeed, there: Republicans, Democrats, Graham, Sperling, Republican, GOP Many conservatives: Graham, George W. Bush, administration, Democrats, the president, Lindsey Graham |
| George F. Will Washington Post |
No Ad Left Behind 13 January 2005 |
871 | 20 | 3D-,1R+,6R- Just 10: Republicans, Republicans, Republican president, Republican, President Bill Clinton This scofflaw: Republican, Bush administration, administration It is: Democrats, Democrats |
| Peggy Noonan WSJ OpinionJournal |
MSM Requiem 13 January 2005 |
1954 | 20 | 4R+,2R-,4R= Is it: Bush Finally, one: Bush Of the: George Bush, Republican Party, Bush, GOP Mr. Fineman: McCarthyism But in: Rush Limbaugh, Reagan You can: Trent Lott |
| Jim Hoagland Inactive |
No 'Owning' Iraq 13 January 2005 |
891 | |
|
| Maureen Dowd New York Times |
Men Just Want Mommy 13 January 2005 |
864 | 0 | |
| Jeff Jacoby Boston Globe |
A bigger, more democratic Congress 13 January 2005 |
887 | 0 | |
| Thomas L. Friedman Inactive |
Ballots and Boycotts 13 January 2005 |
913 | |
|
| Thomas Sowell Creators Syndicate |
I beg to disagree 13 January 2005 |
758 | 0 |