The Washington Post found CBS News investigative reporter worthy of a profile Tuesday. Why? Well, her willingness to actually investigate the Obama White House makes her unique outside of Fox News and right-leaning media. A sad commentary on the overall media to be sure, but the Post points this fact out without irony in a piece titled: “Sharyl Attkisson of CBS News, a persistent voice of media skepticism on Benghazi.”
Believe it or not, Children, there was a time when a “persistent voice of media skepticism” towards those in power regarding an incident that involved something like the death of four Americans wasn’t unique. In fact, a long, long time ago, The Washington Post itself was pretty famous for its willingness to hold power accountable.
But all that changed over the last couple of decades, which means we have arrived at a dangerous time in our country when a reporter actually doing her job is enough of an outlier to become news itself.
Well, I should say, a reporter doing her job when it comes to holding Democrats accountable is enough of an outlier…
Regardless, Attkisson, who has been fearless in pursuing both the Fast and Furious and Libya scandals, most certainly deserves the kudos. She also offers some insight as to why the rest of the media either downplays Libya or has aided and abetted the White House in its cover up:
She says she has received “a tremendous amount of pushback” from the White House as a result of her reporting on Benghazi and Fast and Furious. Among other things, she says, White House officials have called and written her bosses at CBS to complain about her work. She says she doesn’t find that unusual or even disturbing.
This is a smart play for the White House to use against the media. An overwhelming majority of reporters are not only Democrats but completely enamored of Obama. Knowing he disapproves of something they are doing would absolutely crush them. So a call from the White House expressing this disapproval has obviously worked when it comes to convincing the media to do Obama’s bidding.
Attkisson, thankfully, is immune to this kind of pressure, because her fidelity to duty and integrity obviously mean more to her than a pat on the head from the White House.
Imagine that.
The media and maybe even Attkisson herself might not know this, but should a Republican ever find himself in Attkisson’s crosshairs, the credibility she has built up among the political right will carry her through.
We are not like the left; we won’t turn on Attkisson just because what she is doing might hurt someone on our side. Her integrity, fearlessness, and willingness to bolt the left-wing media’s Narrative Plantation in pursuit of the truth has earned our respect.
As much as the political right wants to see Republicans in office, we want just as much to see credibility and integrity return to journalism.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC
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