Sunday, June 24, 2007

Democracy, Politics and the Press

New York Times: By A. A. Gill
Mr. Blair has flung a final whingeing, Parthian speech over his shoulder, blaming the press for everything, calling it “a feral beast, just tearing people and reputations to bits.” The famously beastly Brit press has predictably bitten back, pointing out that, in retrospect, they should have been a deal more beastly about the run-up to the Iraq war.

Blaming journalists for the mood of nations is a futile venture. Enoch Powell, an especially reviled statesman, dryly pointed out that for a politician to complain about the press was like sailors complaining about the sea. Newspapers may like to imagine they have power, but none of them can afford to travel far from the prejudices of their readers. Politicians blame the messenger because the alternative is to blame the public. And the annoying corollary of democracy is that the public is always right.


Is that a necessary corollary?
For bloggers, or just for politicians?

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