Red State/Blue State
The media: the profession everyone loves to hate
DAVE SIMPSON & GREG BEAN

A political discussion between Red State conservative Dave Simpson - a former reporter, editor, publisher and columnist - and Greg Bean, Blue Stater and executive

editor of Greater Media Newspapers.

Dear Greg:

Years ago, I was having a walleye dinner inWisconsin with an old friend when I mentioned a politician we both know who hates the media.

"EVERYBODY hates the media, Dave!'' my friend toldme, startled that I didn't understand the simplest,most obvious things.

I can't tell you how many times I've thought about that guy ever since, and the contempt he had for the business that put food on my table for 33 years. This campaign season, I've been recalling his comment two or three times a day.

Let's face it, Greg - we've chosen to spend our lives in an industry dominated by insufferable scolds, fusspots and knowit alls.Oh yeah- andNervousNellies, too. And the bigger a fusspot and scold you are, the bigger the scolding fusspot newspaper or TV station you get to work for.

Nobody likes us, old pal, usually for good reasons.

Remember last summer when JohnMc- Cain was in big trouble, laying off staff members and flying commercial because he couldn't afford a plane anymore? Our colleagues in Big Media demanded to know when the heck he was going to drop out.He was deadmeat, they said.Our highbrowcohorts laughed at him.

But who's laughing now?

Normal people don't act thatway. If your neighbor is having tough times, you don't tell everyone on the block that he's a failure and he ought to quit his job right away.Normal people would call you a rude jackass, and they'd be right.

But in our business, it has long been a badge of honor to be the rudest jackass in the room.

Remember back in January, when the grand poohbahs of our line of work were sure that the primary season would be over in a couple of weeks? Boy, did they step in it on that one. And then they were sure Hillary would lose inNewHampshire by 10 percent, but, oops, she won by 10 percent. Another great moment in media history.

In fact, it's hard to recall a major development that our media brethren have gotten right this year.

Lately, the Nervous Nellies among us are worried sick that you Blue State types won't have a candidate before your convention, and they're hounding Hillary to drop out.And now, that's got the women upset at us. Oh great. Just what we need.

I've got a question for you, Greg. Aren't conventions held to nominate candidates? Isn't that what they're for? Or is it just about wearing stupid hats, reciting goofy state slogans and dancing the Macarena?

So anyway, Greg, it seems to me that at this time when politicians like Barack Obama score points saying they want to bring us all together, there is really only one group out there that has the potential to unite Americans in blessed agreement, to make lions lie down with lambs.

That group is us, Greg - the media. We're the one thing everybody agrees about. They all hate us.And, inmost cases, for darned good reasons. You're still in the business, Mr. Big Blue State Newspaper Editor. Am I wrong on this?
Sincerely,
Red State Dave

Dear Dave:

I think Iweighed in on this subject fairly clearly after the pundint (Wolf Blitzer's word, notmine)meltdown Jan. 8 on the occasion of the New Hampshire primary.

That, as you remember, was the night when nearly every newsman, commentator, talking head and pollster in the country predicted a huge victory for Barack Obama in New Hampshire, and stood around looking like stunned steers all night while the numbers came in and put the lie to everything they'd been telling us forweeks. I said it was The Night of a Thousand Deaths for every last one of them.

I said at that time itwould be difficult, if not impossible, for that bunch of boobs to salvage the tattered remnants of their credibility aftermaking such aworld-class blunder. And they've spent the last threemonths proving me right. You still can't believe a word those guys and gals say.

I've come to dislike those self-important idiots as much as the next guy, but I take exception when people like you lump me in with "the media" that everybody hates so much. When people ask me what I do for a living, I never say I'm in "the media," because I'mnot. I'ma newspaperman, byGod, a local newspaperman, and there's a difference. I've got my detractors and critics, no doubt, but there are lots of people out there who still like me and the other local newspapermen and newspaperwomenwhowork this end of the business. They know guys like me have about as much in common with Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer and Keith Olbermann as a plow horse has with a turkey buzzard.

I amreally surprised by a couple of your points, however.

You know well, my friend, that national conventions haven't been about choosing a candidate for decades. And the only people dragging out that old saw these days are Republicans like your own self, who are downright delighted to see the Democrats tearing themselves apart. The longer the Democrats wale on each other, the weaker they get and the better chance JohnMcCain has of winning theWhite House. The shifting poll numbers tell that story better than I can. What looked like a cakewalk for the Democrats a fewmonths ago now looks like anything but a lock.

And that's why it's not just the pundints and "the media" who are hounding Hillary to drop out, it's largely big shot members of her own party. Every day, it seems, there's another Democratic heavyweight who says it's time forHillary to throwin the towel before the party is too bloodied and fractured to fight the battle it will take to win in November. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this election is theDemocrats' to lose, and so far they're doing a good job of it. They're dancing the Macarena with grandma's combat boots on both of their enormous left feet.Only trouble is, the band is playing "Sweet Home Alabama."

I suppose people will blame "the media" for that, but I'd rather blame you personally. Since you admit being a member of that despised profession (I don't), I agree this is all your fault, Dave, and it's no wonder people hate you. I hope you're happy.
Your friend,
Blue State Greg
You can reachGreg Bean at gbean @gmnews.

com. Dave Simpson can be reached at

d_simpson@bresnan.net.