Crofton Online: Sunwatch
Desperate Baltimore Sun Turns Attention on Congress as Media Credibility Continues to Plummet

Republican Starr Passes Torch to Tabloids

A desperate Baltimore Sun turned its attention on Congress yesterday, trying to consolidate its shaky hold on political power as its credibility with the public continued to plummet.

The Sun has temporarily stopped printing all public opinion polls because they clearly show America's disgust with the alliance between Republican Kenneth Starr and the tabloid media. The Sun has instead focused on pressuring Congress to impeach the President. Its success in this end run around the American people hinges on two key strategies.

First, they are attempting to spook Democrats into backing away from condemning the alliance by creating a false impression that their reelection efforts will suffer unless they support impeachment efforts.

Their biggest success in this regard so far has been in influencing Maryland Governor Parris Glendening to cancel a scheduled public appearance with the President. Not surprisingly, "Gutless Governor Glendening," as he is being called around the state, caved in immediately, probably costing him the fall election, according to political analysts.

The second part of the Sun's strategy is to threaten Congressmen in both parties with exposure of their own sex lives. The tabloids have literally hundreds of "investigative reporters" roaming the bars of Washington and the home districts of key Representatives, handing out money to anyone who will claim knowledge of sexual encounters that could be used to blackmail politicians.

The first two casualties of the press's witch hunt have been Republican Congressman Dan Burton and Republican Congresswoman Chenoweth.

The press forced Congressman Burton, who had previously called the President a "scum bag," to admit to an extramarital affair of his own.

According to sources, Burton had originally planned to use the same "I only had oral sex" dodge attempted by the President, until a reporter took him aside. Privately the reporter explained to Burton that use of such a defense could raise charges of stupidity as well as dishonesty, given the illegitimate child which resulted from the affair.

The second casualty of the growing press witch hunt was Republican Congresswoman Helen Chenoweth. Like Burton, Chenoweth had repeatedly criticized the President's sexual behavior. The press forced her to admit to a long running affair with a married man. The issue of oral sex and out of wedlock children has not as yet been raised with her.

The stakes are high for the Baltimore Sun and the rest of the tabloids. Unless they can force a Presidential impeachment or resignation, they will not be able to use their usual excuse that the end justified the means. The credibility of the press is already lower than that of politicians, and, amazingly, even lower than that of lawyers, according to polls.

The other excuse used by the tabloids is that they aren't doing the investigating, they are merely publishing the illegal leaks dictated to them by Republican Starr. Don't shoot the messenger, they argue.

Although morally indefensible, that argument might convince a few people until they realize that the press's real message is not about President Clinton at all. Their message is, in fact, that the "messenger" should continue to have veto power over the wishes of the American public, since they are the social and political elite. After all, they argue, not only are they the ones seen on TV every evening, most can also read.

Meanwhile, Kenneth Starr has passed his "torch" to right wing extremists in Congress desperate to undo the sanity being returned to the economy by President Clinton. Predictably, Republicans immediately introduced a bill calling for huge tax cuts for the rich.

Republican Starr has admitted on the record to leaking grand jury information throughout his investigation, which is a felony under federal law. Starr, who makes a million dollars a year as a tobacco lobbyist while also on the federal payroll, claimed in court that the leaks were legal because the reporters involved were acting as his agents in his attempt to bring down the President. A three judge federal panel has rejected Starr's argument.

Starr as yet has refused to apologize to the President or the taxpayers for his felonies.


Read what noted media critic and author Jon Katz says about the battle between the press and the public.


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