Sometimes I am utterly ashamed to tell new people I meet what I do for a living. Rather than tell them I’m a newspaper reporter or journalist, at times I believe I would actually get a better reception if I told people I was a lawyer or, God forbid, a politician.
That’s sad but true. And why? Because many of those who have infested my chosen profession are nothing but a bunch of sniveling, hypocritical ideologues who are so religiously wedded to leftist ideology that they are incapable of fair and unbiased treatment of all public officials.
Case in point: For most of the Clinton administration, and at the request of President and Mrs. Clinton, the “major” media – as well as WorldNetDaily (which is more a major media outlet than many of the others claim to be) – respected the White House’s wishes to limit or forbid coverage of Chelsea Clinton. WND was never asked by the White House to do this, mind you, but out of respect for her parents – despite their political chicanery – we just didn’t believe attacking Chelsea personally for the sins of her parents was either newsworthy or appropriate.
Having said that, I’m sure Chelsea was no “angel” either; most teen-agers aren’t – even first teen-agers.
But contrast the major media’s agreement not to drag Chelsea scandalously into the public eye with its non-reluctance – even eagerness – to pursue President and Mrs. Bush’s twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara.
In the course of a month, both girls have been involved in alcohol-related trouble in Texas. That may be “news,” and in some venues, my colleagues in the press have limited coverage of these incidents strictly to publishing just the basic facts. I don’t disagree with this; after all, these incidents actually happened and, because of who these kids are, their foibles, unfortunately, are newsworthy.
But that’s it. No more, no less. Yet, many in the media and entertainment venues have gone way beyond what could arguably be called proper news coverage of President and Mrs. Bush’s children.
Consider these other examples as proof that much of the mainstream media is determined not to show the present occupants of the White House as much discretion towards their family as the former occupants were shown:
Shortly after President Bush won the November election, “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone decided to launch a new animated show on Comedy Central called, “That’s My Bush.” Of the many loathsome episodes considered, one had to do with portraying the Bush daughters as “incestual” homosexual lovers.
According to reports published by PageSix.com, early script ideas included ideas like this one (editor’s note: Extremely inappropriate for young audiences):
“The main characters are President-elect Bush, his wife Laura, and their 19-year-old fraternal twin daughters Barbara and Jenna, who, according to casting notes, are not only ‘sexy and beautiful,’ but ‘their sisterly love would raise anyone’s eyebrows.’
“In the script for one audition scene obtained by Aintitcoolnews.com, Barbara nestles her face into Jenna’s fur bustier. Then Jenna tries to get her lips around an enormous candy cane that Barbara holds in her lap.
“‘It’s so big, I can hardly get it in my mouth,’ Jenna says, while Barbara admonishes, ‘Don’t bite it!’ When Dick Cheney enters and does a double-take, Jenna asks, ‘You want a suck, Dick?’ sending the vice-president into cardiac arrest. Jenna shrugs and continues licking away. …”
According to Matt Drudge, People Magazine waited all of four months to “feature” the Bush twins in a cover story article. By contast, People waited most of Clinton’s term, until 1999, before featuring Chelsea on the magazine’s front cover, in an article that was anything but eventful or damaging.
Nice, huh?
Two years ago, when then-Gov. George W. Bush of Texas was contemplating a run at the White House, he was gracious enough to side with the Clintons in their admonishment of People Magazine, despite the typically soft touch the publication – and other leftist ideologues in the media – traditionally gave the Clintons.
Yet, so far Bill and Hillary Clinton have been silent about this abuse. They haven’t offered an iota of criticism of the media, let alone support for the Bushes, despite the obvious differences and despite the abhorrent and morally bankrupt nature of some of this media “coverage.” Neither have the Gores.
Bill Clinton’s behavior as president was fair game, as President Bush’s behavior will be and should be. But no president – regardless of his personal character flaws – should have to endure this kind of reprehensible coverage and portrayal of his children. It’s wrong, and everyone who is doing it knows it’s wrong.
I would advise the Bushes, however, not to hold out for an apology, because the reprobates in my industry haven’t the guts, good manners, intelligence or taste to say they’re sorry. That’s the real tragedy.
I’m going to be one of the first reporters and columnists to publicly admonish my colleagues to pressure those “errant” souls in our business who are committing such grave sins against the first family to stand up and publicly chastise the idiots who are doing this. Who among you, “media giants,” will be the first to sign on?
