Wherein Robert Salladay Can't Handle The Truth

Apparently LA Times reporter Robert Salladay posted something on his Political Muscle blog, getting pissy at me for calling reporters "idiots" for asking horse-race questions at Bill Carrick's little dog-and-pony show of a press conference this morning. Then Salladay deleted that part of the post, I guess.

It must be tough medicine for him to take. In the media, this campaign, like pretty much every campaign statewide, has been 100% issue-free and a complete disservice to the electorate. As usual. If reporters don't want to be chided for focusing on the horse race they can very easily work in an issue debate or policy or two. It's not hard.

Salladay's contention is that the press conference today was for a commercial, not exactly a meaty topic. Well, if you're obliged to ignore the entire purpose for the press conference, why automatically ask horse-race process questions? How about something on taxes? Immigration? Health care? None of which have to be softball questions for Angelides, mind you. And, if a press conference for a commercial is such a useless exercise, why cover it?

Let me explain it to you very slowly. Most people are busy leading their lives to tune in to every nuance of a political debate. They actually depend on others to distill it for them and provide the information they need to make capable decisions. That information does not include: a) who seems to be winning, b) who seems to be losing, c) who might win if somebody else wins, etc. The idea that a political reporter is someone completely divorced from the real-world policy outcomes of political elections is absurd and warped. In fact, it's why people are turning to blogs in record numbers, so disgusted are they with the level of information they get from traditional media sources.

I am not, however, a blog triumphalist. I don't have the unlimited budget to travel the state and dissect position papers. I feel the Fourth Estate has a necessary and incredibly valuable role to play in helping to maintain a well-informed citizenry. I just want them to do their job better. I'm sorry if that offends you, Mr. Salladay.

Nationally, this election has been somewhat refreshing in that real issues are being discussed, once you get beyond the sleaze and the negative ads. In California, it's business as usual. A star-struck media mooning at a superstar candidate.