The Washington Post‘s Dana Milbank deserves some credit for writing this about all of the awful things about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner:
The fun begins, appropriately enough, at the offices of the American Gas Association, where White House reporters are feted by the lobbyists of the Quinn Gillespie firm. More lobbyist-sponsored entertainment comes from the Motion Picture Association. Along the way, journalists wind up serving as pimps: We recruit Hollywood stars to entertain the politicians, and we recruit powerful political figures to entertain the stars. Corporate bosses bring in advertisers to gawk at the display, and journalists lucky enough to score invitations fancy themselves celebrities.
Milbank points out that his own paper invited Donald Trump as one of its guests (which is reason enough to write such a column, and skip the event altogether, as Milbank did).
He adds that the parties, after-parties and celebrity-studded receptions add up, and that:
the cumulative effect is icky. With the proliferation of A-list parties and the infusion of corporate and lobbyist cash, Washington journalists give Americans the impression we have shed our professional detachment and are aspiring to be like the celebrities and power players we cover.
I think Americans long ago rendered a verdict on the “professional detachment” of Beltway media elite. He closed with this:
My late colleague David Broder once recalled how, when he began newspapering in mid-century, journalists embraced the credo that “the only way a reporter should ever look at a politician is down.” He said they “prided themselves on their independence, their skepticism, and they relished their role in exposing the follies and the larceny of public officials.”
That’s an odd sentiment to associate with Broder, who rarely expressed that kind of critical attitude towards politicians. The most notable exception might have been Broder’s hostility towards Bill Clinton over the Lewinsky affair.
There were indeed many skeptical, independent journalists back when I practiced the trade from the 1960s to the 1980s under a byline some of you might remember, but David Broder was not one of them. These days you can trace most journalistic opinion straight back to mega-millionaires who pay for it, and the fourth estate, which most journalists practicing today have never even heard of, no longer exists.
The White House Correspondent’s Dinner was ugly and stupid. The horrible jokes and delivery were like a carnival fun house, and the stupid videos were like a Jay Leno monologue.
The attacks against each other are bad enough, but to again and again attack Donald Trump who did not get to speak is really pathetic. I am not a Trump follower or enthusiast, but I see nothing wrong with Trump having a voice, being in the debate … at least nothing that would make ridiculing him as he was just.
The stupid media video clips, the worse was the I am a real American, I fight for the rights of ever man … yeah right Barack … or the Lion King birth video … or the teleprompter … that was so much over the line in terms of stupid I don’t know where to begin.
Any previous President would have been ashamed to drag the office down with this kind of behavior.
Aw nuturing the persecuted rich, that’s nice.
nurturing that is!!
Look Brux, you’ve exposed yourself as a racist and right winger with your comments. Trump calls into question the President’s birth place and right to hold office (to get media attention and the support of the right wing). That’s demagoguery! When his bluff is called, he attacks Obama’s educational credentials, wondering how he got into Harvard! If that doesn’t bother you, you have a real problem with understanding race baiting! On the other hand, the Republican Party wanted to pass a special bill to allow the white Arnold Schwarzenegger to hold federal office. There’s your racism for you!
Maybe Brux just didn’t understand the jokes, which were pretty funny. Meaning of the term, “partisan:” no charge too crazy to make if you’re Republican. No charges allowed if you’re a Democrat.
Not at the White House correspondents’ dinner was the only one with a level of integrity to merit respect: Helen Thomas. She has been dropped by her fellow correspondents because she spoke the truth when interviewed by a rabid rabbi. – George Beres
As a undergrad Journalism grad and a Poli Sci M.A. grad I wish Journalism (or “Communications” these days) students would learn something other than how to use commas and write a lead. They sure as hell know nothing about politics, history and government.
I always thought these dinners exposed the ugly truth of media’s coziness with power. The snickers of politician and reporter alike make my skin crawl, and a bunch of bejeweled celebrities made it even more bizarre.
Well said, Carol–didn’t Bush and many of the attending “jounalists” get all in a lather when Steven Colbert mocked the entire event a few years ago? One good thing happened this year, though–the Donald reportedly stormed out of the room when the President started mildly lampooning him. Like all right wingers and reactionaries, Trump’s got very thin skin, and thinks quite highly of himself, despite overwhelming evidence that his self-congratulatory mode is badly misplaced.
Duckabushwriter: I have to disagree with you. Actually, journalism students need to learn MORE grammar, not just MORE about subject matter.
Frankly, I wish journalists would learn to consult a dictionary more often, and not ONLY for spelling, which is really the least of it. The biggest problem is misuse of words, and inventing new uses of words without consulting the rest of the English-speaking world. Even worse yet is that once these errors become obvious, they seem to get conveniently covered up by becoming established as “memes” on the Internet. If they are popular (“talk cool, relate to the net users, etc”) or are good-looking — plus some hype by agents and handlers — they become revered and venerated experts.
But you can NOT blame journalism students for their ignorance of politics, history, and government. They are the product of the same outdated and inadequate system of education they oft report on. I just read an article here about a certain “Gas Institute” at Rice U. which consists of a large number of oil companies. When commercialism like that is so inherent in “education,” it is small wonder that colleges turn out such failures.
I trace this all back to the Dean Martin roasts in the fryers club tradition. Somebody said “that seems like a good idea”and away we go.I figure it’s one night where they crack some jokes and make believe they don’t hate each other. Lets face it,the minute Obama gets heaved out on his petard he has a golf date in the ex presidents club.It is the way Washington hangs.
If you want the real scoop about the Washington press corps, read “Breaking the News” by James Fallows, written 15? years ago. I think he was ostracized for telling the truth.