BOB GARFIELD: And now a review of some of the comments you've been leaving on our website. My commentary from last week earned a flurry of emails. The opening gambit came from Kevin McKague of Davison, Michigan.
Quote, “I think Bob Garfield’s comments on the Republicans’ walkout are dead-on, and I agree with almost everything he has to say on the President’s fear campaign being used to scare us into giving away more civil liberties protections.
Having said that, however, I ask what in the heck does any of this have to do with the media? On the Media is one of my favorite shows on NPR, but I cringe when I hear pieces that don't fall within the stated purview of the show.”
BROOKE GLADSTONE: Then Jack from Chicago jumped in with, quote, “I think Bob's editorial should have been introduced as such. Then I would forgive his one-sidedness and poor presentation of historical context, both of which devalued this piece.”
BOB GARFIELD: David Ogden from Walnut Creek, California, disagreed. He wrote, quote, “Garfield pinpointed and skewered so many of the fearsome things about Bush/Cheney in his short editorial – it was time well spent for me.”
On the other hand, Dan Hayes from New York City wrote, “Stop camouflaging your self-righteous liberal political comments as dealing with the media. This political point of view permeates PBS and especially WNYC and is completely inappropriate for this show and for a national public network. You may be surprised, even shocked, but not eveyone agrees with you. You're media critics ? You should be the subject of a media-critical show.”
BROOKE GLADSTONE: Finally, Chris Gray from New Haven attempted to wrap up the now multifaceted debate. He wrote, quote, “First, I thought it was really odd that this was basically an editorial comment rather than a story.
Second, I had no problem with it as a comment on how the manufactured media event was being used to "change the subject" of the day's media coverage. The commentary was definitely on the media. Still, I think Bob may have missed another more tangible motive for the walk-out.
Those who walked out will never have to answer for their vote one way or the other on the contempt of Congress issue. That, I suspect, was the real reason for the balk.”
BOB GARFIELD: Thanks for the argument. We are paying attention. And keep up the conversation at onthemedia.org.
