The NY Times Embraces Left-Wing Bloggers at Libby Trial

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The New York Times generally keeps conservative blogs at arms length, treating them with either how-dare-you criticism, pat-on-the-head condescension or, most notoriously, accusations of CIA stoogery. But when it comes to liberal bloggers like the ones covering the Lewis Libby trial, The Times embraces them as they struggle side by side with the MSM, as shown in Scott Shane's front page story today, "For Liberal Bloggers, Libby Trial Is Fun and Fodder." (By contrast, Shane has written two condescending pieces on conservative bloggers.)

Firedoglake is one group blog covering the trial of Libby, the former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney accused of lying to prosecutors during the investigation of who leaked CIA worker Valerie Plame's name to the press.

It's a convoluted trial in which everyone, government officials and journalists alike, seems to have a faulty memory -- no surprise, since it involves who may or may not have said what to whom in the summer of 2003. Tom Maguire, a must-read on all matters Plame-related who knows the ins and outs better than virtually any journalist, wonders if the Times is watching the same trial he is.

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But it's not Maguire's hard work being celebrated on the front page of Thursday's New York Times, but the left-wing firedoglake. The front page also featured a photo of co-blogger Jane Hamsher to accompany the article.

"A collective of liberal bloggers, fueled by online donations and a fanatical devotion to the intricacies of the Libby case, Firedoglake has offered intensive trial coverage, using some six contributors in rotation. They include a former prosecutor, a current defense lawyer, a Ph.D. business consultant and a movie producer, all of whom lodge at a Washington apartment rented for the duration of the trial."

[…]

"Even as they exploit the newest technologies, the Libby trial bloggers are a throwback to a journalistic style of decades ago, when many reporters made no pretense of political neutrality. Compared with the sober, neutral drudges of the establishment press, the bloggers are class clowns and crusaders, satirists and scolds."

If Hamsher's name sounds vaguely notorious, it's because while working last fall for Democratic Senate candidate Ned Lamont, Hamsher posted a doctored photo of Sen. Joe Lieberman in blackface. That incident merited precisely one neutral sentence near the end of the Times' story.

Firedoglake is certainly happy with the story.

—Clay Waters is the director of Times Watch, an MRC project tracking the New York Times.


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Worth noting, Clay!

Thanks for pointing this out. Typical MO for NYT.

I know I keep-asking this, bu

I know I keep-asking this, but does anyone here have ANY info on what political bloggers -- left OR right -- make? (While these guys are interesting-too, I'm really-interested in the lefty Edwards bloggers who just resigned!)
JMR

Usually that info is availabl

Usually that info is available on the FEC site or places like OpenSecrets.org. Don't have time to look it up atm.

Oregonian quick to jump on liberal bandwagon

And of course, The Oregonian (aka The Daily Dead Fish Wrapper) is quick to put in a news update (it's categorized under "Breaking News") on their web site that one of the firedoglake bloggers is from Portland.

If you're keeping up with every twist and turn in Scooter Libby's perjury trail, chances are you're reading the work of bloggers.

One of those with a seat in the courtroom is Jane Hamsher, a former
Oregon Coast dweller and Hollywood movie producer. Hamsher, who once
lived part time in Otter Rock, is the founder of firedoglake.com.

Hamsher wrote "Killer Instinct" and produced "Natural Born Killers." Recently, she spoke with OPB about blogging the Libby trial.

According to this article in
today's New York Times, mainstream reporters have come to rely on
firedoglake.com's "live blog" for the "fullest, fastest public report
available" on the trial.

What a surprise; a Hollywood producer being a liberal? Never! The Fish Wrapper hyping something from the NY Slimes? What a shock!