You know, I don’t know what frustrates me more — the stupid things that journalists do or their innate ability to blame everybody but themselves when their ratings and credibility slip. They put on a good show of self-flagellation and “tossing out a few bad apples,” but they refuse to acknowledge their biases.

Actually, frustrate isn’t the right word. I love that Newsweek and other journalism agencies are reacting the way they are. It brings more people to alternate media every day. Let’s get those circulation numbers down even lower.

Some assorted news bits and personal grievances from the “Al-Newsweek” fiasco:

  • Journalists lay into White House spokesman Scott McClellan for daring to suggest that Newsweek (gasp!) undo some of the damage from its irresponsible reporting by setting the record straight.

    [McClellan:] And I think Newsweek can do that by talking about the way they got this wrong, and pointing out what the policies and practices of the United States military are when it comes to the handling of the Holy Koran. The military put in place policies and procedures to make sure that the Koran was handled — or is handled with the utmost care and respect. And I think it would help to point that out, because some have taken this report — those that are opposed to the United States — some have taken this report and exploited it and used it to incite violence.

    Q. With respect, who made you the editor of Newsweek? Do you think it’s appropriate for you, at that podium, speaking with the authority of the President of the United States, to tell an American magazine what they should print?

    They didn’t even let McClellan finish. Click on the transcript and watch our crybabies we call the Fourth Estate in action. Blame Washington for your own reporter’s mess. Bravo!

  • I’m a tad bit disheartened that I am seeing some bloggers that I respect opine that “veteran investigative reporter” Michael Isikoff should keep his job.

    Regardless of what Isikoff’s politics are, let’s review what he did. He ran a story based on the whisperings of an anonymous source who allegedly saw the now-disputed information. Isikoff never saw the report or had it read to him. This source has been described as “senior,” “respected,” and “highly-placed” — in short, the same damn way that Dan Rather and Mary Mapes described Bill Burkett. You’ll excuse me if I don’t take al-Newsweek at its word.

    Another reporter thought Isikoff’s claim needed to be double-checked, which is the only intelligent thought I have seen from Newsweek during this whole mess. So what is good enough of a vetting for Newsweek? The story was run by another senior source, who didn’t say a word about Isikoff’s claim. “He didn’t say it was false, so that must mean it’s true. Run with it!”

    I mean, could you imagine for a second either Newsweek or any other MSM agency giving a military commander who made a similar mistake even an inch of slack?

    On a different note, it must be tough to be Isikoff right now — a lot of lefty blogs are giving to him good for his reporting on the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal.

  • MRC President Brent Bozell in his weekly column draws some scary parallels between what happened at Newsweek and what happened at CBS.

    • UPDATE: Check out the hilarious blaming of government for “al-Newsweek” going on at Romenesko Letters, an on-line gathering place for journalists. Read these letters, laugh at their utter craziness, cry when you realize that 280 million Americans rely on these circus freaks for the news, and then laugh the next time they try screaming “We’re not biased!” when the next scandal comes around.