Contemptible Media

Atrios points out for us what many (like Bob Somerby) have been saying for a long time: the people who cover politics in America are a disgrace. They are preening, sneering lightweights who care about nothing but themselves. They pleasure themselves with trivia and they have been the enablers of the wanton corruption that passes for government these days.

Quoting Charles Pierce at Altercation:

Here's what I think -- the majority of people who cover national politics believe that history is whatever happened in the MSNBC Green Room 15 minutes earlier. I believe the campaign is covered by people with a completely unjustified sense of their own superiority, since not many of them understand or ever care about most of the issues, much less the horrendous bills that are going to come due upon whichever of these poor sods winds up with the job. I believe these people care more about their reputation around the bar at the Wayfarer in Manchester than they do about the interests of the people they purportedly serve. And, were I an editor, and someone brought me a story about John Edwards' hair or Mitt Romney's skin, that person would do it once. The second time, the lazy bastard would find himself typing bowling agate on Wednesday night.

Atrios:

Reading Joe Klein lately I was reminded of something Oliver wrote recently:

A long time ago I used to believe that a lot of these people were just talking over my head, their discourse too lofty for a regular guy like myself. But that isn't true. They're just stupid.

Part of the problem we face is that too many people fail to understand this. A lot of our elite scribblers and chatters are just truly and profoundly stupid.