The mainstream media has outdone itself in covering the vice president’s hunting mishap-but I think it’s probably a good thing in the long run. The press antics that is, not the accidental shooting of a 78-year-old lawyer.
The more the public sees these hacks preening at White House press conferences, the more likely they are to disregard the biased reports they churn out. The Washington Times’ Tony Blankley has the funniest piece yet on the subject. He ridicules their tantrums over not the hostess giving the scoop to a small Texas paper:
“I checked the bylaws of the White House press corps, and they are right. It seems that the bylaws refer to Article XXIII of the U.S. Constitution, which expressly designates that White House reporters with a minimum annual income of $375,000 (plus minimum stock options equal to not less than two-thirds their yearly salary, plus use of driver and long sedan during business hours, of which hours must include post-deadline dinner engagements of a semi-social nature) are the exclusive recipients of all government information.
“If information isn’t hand-delivered in gilt-edged paper to them while they are reclined on their chaise lounges, it hasn’t been released to the public. And if they don’t report a fact, it hasn’t happened. This provision is vital to a vigorous and independent free press. [I should note, my copy of the Constitution must be outdated, because it doesn’t have an Article XXIII.]”
It Had to Happen: David Ignatius compares the veep’s hunting accident to Chappaquiddick!