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The media pundit's pundit. Written by NYC insider Jeff Jarvis, BuzzMachine covers news, media, journalism, and politics.

Sniffs and snorts

11 comments on Sniffs and snorts

Sniffs and snorts

: Blogging will be light this morning as I disgust my officemates with the sounds of nasal attrocities and as I try to finish up that op-ed on Rathergate. Just did a quick radio thing with Frank Branako at Marketwatch on the topic. I’ll say more on it as soon as I can. And I know I haven’t said enough on it here. And that’s mainly because others are so far ahead of me reporting the latest that I can’t catch up. I am appalled at Dan Rather’s behavior, as most of you are. I will say more about that as soon as I get a breath of air by one means or another. Later.

11 responses to “Sniffs and snorts”

  1. Tom (American Voter) Avatar
    Tom (American Voter)

    Appalled? No I think amused better describes where I’m at on this story. Watching journalist in action is starting to look more like a comedy movie that never ends. Can’t say I’m that thrilled with the plot, but the price is right so wqo am I to complain. lol
    But seriously, good luck Jeff on trying to save some dignity for your profession. You might be starting late, but your heart is in the right place.

  2. Jeff Jarvis Avatar
    Jeff Jarvis

    Tom: Thanks.

  3. arjuna Avatar
    arjuna

    Man, your condescending and pretentious litany against the networks. Where were you with your op-eds against the cable networks when they were unceasingly flaunting lies by the Swifties for days (not just that his record doesn’t matter). Rather convenient quiet on INDIVIDUALS and ORGANIZATIONS who did turn it into a story (not just the story itself). Suddenly, your ire is not to be contained. Give me a break.
    I find your selective outrage just as despicable as that of the networks, cable networks, drum beaters on the right or the left.
    Got anything to say about the faked pictureo of Kerry with Fonda. I doubt it!!

  4. Tony Alva Avatar
    Tony Alva

    Wow! Such venom. Sounds to me like another of those partisans who can’t stand a fellow magician giving up the patently liberal media’s magic tricks. Face it, your boy got punk’d.
    Go on with your bad self Jarvis.
    What’s the frequency Arjuna?

  5. Ethan Avatar
    Ethan

    Shut up Tony. Arjuna is right (partially) that Jeff is no better than the rest of them. People have been begging him to start a real conversation about real issues for weeks to little avail. I can’t wait to read this op-ed to see if it’s just more of the “mud” the JJ seems to hate so much, yet propagates on his own blog.
    AND, if you want to talk about media magic tricks, you shouldn’t limit it to the left. Both sides are guilty.

  6. Brother Nikko Avatar
    Brother Nikko

    “Shut up”? Niiiiice counterpoint, and all growed up, too, Ethan.
    Seems to me that, begging the blatantly obvious, Tony based his comment on a concrete example of a “media magic trick.” Care to reciprocate with some equivalent examples from your side of the argument, or should I just “shut up” too? Sheesh.

  7. Jeff Jarvis Avatar
    Jeff Jarvis

    Behave, Ethan.

  8. old gal Avatar
    old gal

    Every blog is about this Rathergate! Before that it was Swiftgate. There is so much going on now to blog about. Why keep on with this? Don’t like Rather’s journalism than don’t watch CBS. Simple as that. The story was old the day after it started as most news stories are.

  9. Hubris Avatar
    Hubris

    There is so much going on now to blog about. Why keep on with this?
    old gal, the original scope of the story (apparently dicey verification of story by old media, caught by new media) was interesting enough.
    Now, it’s even more interesting, given Rather’s breathtakingly arrogant dismissal of his critics and astonishing assertion that no one should focus on the documents, since it’s unimportant compared to “the truth of the information.”
    Additionally, Rather has the gall to use the phrase “speak truth to power” when describing his function!
    In the middle of all this, bloggers are alternatively categorized as pajama-clad nutjobs or “well-financed forces” (the latter assertion by Rather really made me laugh).
    Remember, it’s not about liberal or conservative, it’s about the media.
    Jeff, I look forward to your take on this.

  10. Tony Alva Avatar
    Tony Alva

    I heard that Brokow’s got Scooby Doo and Shaggy on tonight with evidence that Bill Clinton raided the White House refrigerator dressed as the ghost of Millard Fillmore in a failed attempt to horde all the scooby snacks Hillary was hiding from him. He would have gotten away with it,

  11. John Anderson Avatar
    John Anderson

    Aside from all the points about typography, I have not seen mentioned one point that I think should have killed this story.
    The medical for maintaining flight status (which Bush was in the process of dropping anyway) was a routine requirement. There must have been a standard fill-in-the-blanks for this. If not, a LtC is a lot more likely to ask a clerk-typist to cut an order from boilerplate than sit down at a typewriter and do it – especially if not even a good “hunt-and-peck” typist. And since when are orders to subordinates put in a personal file rather than the official record? And not even the subordinate’s personal files, at that. Nor was there any provision for the subordinate to reply, or even merely acknowledge receipt.
    Heck, I was only in (1965) long enough to qualify for the National Defense Service Medal (three months), and this looks phony. Even a Lieutenant would not type orders himself, never mind a Lieutenant Colonel!