http://www.ap.org/newsvalues/index.html

02/16/2006

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STATEMENT OF NEWS VALUES
AND PRINCIPLES

“For more than a century and a half, men and women of The Associated Press have had the privilege of bringing truth to the world. They have gone to great lengths, overcome great obstacles – and, too often, made great and horrific sacrifices – to ensure that the news was reported quickly, accurately and honestly. Our efforts have been rewarded with trust: More people in more places get their news from the AP than from any other source.

In the 21st century, that news is transmitted in more ways than ever before – in print, on the air and on the Web, with words, images, graphics, sounds and video. But always and in all media, we insist on the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior when we gather and deliver the news.

[***** GET READY: HERE'S THE BEST PART! *****]

That means we abhor inaccuracies, carelessness, bias or distortions. It means we will not knowingly introduce false information into material intended for publication or broadcast; nor will we alter photo or image content. Quotations must be accurate, and precise.”

See?

Don’t we all feel so much better now?!

I guess I used to see the world as you but I am so beyond sick and tired of us being held to a higher standard and, as much as it tees me off when something like this happens, I fervently believe we play into the shameless, hypocritical libs hands when we throw some of our best and brightest under the bus when they show human flaws.

They KNOW that all they have to do is find something, anything, on one of *ours* and we’ll take ‘em out for them, even though the vast majority of the electorate could really care less. Am I saddened that our culture has devolved to the point that a serial adulterer, perjurer, liar, and general scumbug could be reelected to be POTUS, and leave office w/60% approval ratings? More than I could ever tell you.

But there’s the world the way you want it and the world the way it is. And, unfortunately, we live in an American Idol society where no one seems to give a rats rear end about morals and scruples. So I am now at the point where I believe that if we stood up and told the libs and dems “we aint’ playin’ this game no more’ then at best they’d give up (fat chance but I did say ‘at best’) and at worst we get to continually point out there hypocrisy while not crucifying our own because some of them are human and screw up.

That may sound awfully jaded, but that’s where all this garbage has led me (example? this morning the sychophantic AP listed all the pols who have had affairs in the last 5 years. Guess which ones were the only ones who had their party affiliation listed after ‘em? I’m done with this kind of crap!)

But your anger with the MSM makes me wonder if you consider this to be any different from the way the international media treats the US and the rest of the world. The US is held to a higher standard (or at least we have been in the past) because we are seen as the moral arbiter for the world — and we’ve been willing to be put in that position because we actually care if other nations are free. When one nation fights for moral principles, it will be judged more harshly when it “fails” to meet that standard (and that judgment may be fair or unfair).

Between conservatives and liberals, if one side often claims to follow absolute truth, and the other often calls all moral views equally valid, which side is going to be judged more harshly?

Maybe it’s not “right” in the sense of fairness, but it’s certainly “right” in that it makes perfect sense with the MSM world view. It’s undeniable, and you can try to change it, but it will require change at the mind and heart level.

Yes, in a perfect world, all parties and all countries would be handled fairly and neutrally by those reporting the events. But only God treats everyone equally.

I’d rather the leadership spend less time trying to get the media to treat conservatives fairly, and spend more effort to recruit people who make smart personal and political choices.

Finally, let’s put the MSM’s role in perspective. Reagan found a way to speak directly to the people, and that should be our goal today.

The Catholics say if you go into the Papal Conclave wanting to be Pope, you have no chance. I think they have that one right.

And yet she gets no respect and the guys get unearned respect.

It happened in 1925, when he was 22 and not in politics. He would have been a Democrat at the time. He piloted a glider into France on D-Day. He didn’t enter national politics until he ran for President in 1948, when his daughter was 23. He didn’t abandon her, he helped support her.

IOW, it was irrelevant. And he’s dead.

1) You said that if Ensign and Sanford called on Clinton to resign then they should ‘face the music’ and resign. If they had called on him to resign solely over extramarital sex, I would agree with you. But that wasn’t the issue. Perjury and obstruction of justice were the issues. That’s a huge distinction. And when icbm pointed that out, you in effect said “well, that’s true but the truth doesn’t matter ’cause everyone thinks they did.” That’s the kind of acceptance of the MSM narrative that always leaves conservatives on their heels. It’s the whole ‘it’s not the actuality of the behavior but the seriousness of the charge’ BS that we continually allow the MSM to hang around our necks ’cause we don’t challenge their narrative.

2) I understand that the MSM’s double standard is reality; I said so in my post. But what I can’t understand is that you think that’s right. It’s NOT right. It’s a hypocritical crock that the MSM holds one party to a higher standard than the other. Recognizing it is one thing. Accepting it without trying to change it is foolish. Believeing that it’s “rightly so” leaves me incredulous.

Republicans usually claim to be “good men” (people), so how can it be wrong for them to be held to a high moral standard?

On the other end of the spectrum:
Ted Kennedy somehow avoided jail after causing the death of a young woman; no one has ever held him (or his family) to any standard of conduct.

Joe Biden once had to quit the presidential race because he’s a plagiarist. No one holds him to any standard. “That’s just Joe.”

Bill Clinton’s problems with the truth are well-documented; no one (well, except Obama’s pals during the recent election) holds him to any standard of conduct or speech. He can pretty much do anything he wants, and he does.

The mainstream press expects nothing of liberals, so they are never disappointed in them.

It may be discouraging and unfair, but it is realistic.

And by the way, I expect nothing from the MSM, so I’m never “disappointed” in them. What is, is.

And we can get mad about it and waste time being distracted by it, OR we can rise above it and win elections with excellence on all fronts, moral and otherwise.

We also need to hold ourselves to the highest standards, so when all the frightening truth continues to trickle out about this administration, we will actually have a leg to stand on. That’s planning ahead. That’s the way to win — not from a position of weakness, but strength.

He is an awfully intelligent Senator who is young and effective in what he has done, but he hasn’t been there long enough to have skeletons or enemies.

Corker is someone to watch and I don’t think he is like McCain at all.

What a crock.

As is this statement: “Republicans are always held to a higher moral standard – and rightly so”.

I have one question – You think its *right* to hold one party to a different standard than the other? Seriously?

It may be reality but it ain’t right and it’s a hypocritical pile of hooey that the liberal hacks in the MSM have convinced you that it is.

Your analogy helps to give perspective and even comfort.