CBS Reporter: Tom Friedman a 'Genius,' Bill Clinton 'Fascinating'

In an interview with the CBS News website Public Eye, CBS reporter Sharyn Alfonsi displayed a typically leftish enthusiasm for New York Times columnists and former Democratic presidents who pride themselves on being Southern charmers.

When asked about the last "really great movie or book you've found, Alfonsi mentioned a classic Southern novel and "Also, I just finished Thomas Friedman’s From Beirut to Jerusalem. I love him. He’s a great writer and a genius." When asked about the "most fascinating person," Alfonsi displayed her years in Arkansas journalism: "Most fascinating: I interviewed Bill Clinton a few times. He’s a study."

He's a study? If this weren't a standard Public Eye questionnaire, they could ask: so, did he try to charm you until you blushed/hit on you/ask you to kiss something?

I also find the last answer of the blog post interesting, if not biased. It’s just funny how the evening news now thinks they’re the History Channel or something. The news cycle is so fast they feel asked to establish What It All Means in four hours or less. When asked how they compete with 24/7 cable, Alfonsi declared:

The 24-hour news channels are great because you can deliver news in real time. Evening news has the luxury of pulling back and reflecting before we send it out to the universe. I think viewers watch “Evening News” not to just find out what’s happening now --- but to find out what it means it down the road.

Down the road? Try down the block! There's too much speculation and crystal ball-rubbing in journalism. Just tell us what happened today. Wouldn't that be revolutionary enough?