Angry Amateurs - Swampland - TIME

There is a tendency in the media to kick ourselves, cringe and withdraw, when we are criticized. But I hope my colleagues stand strong in this case: it is important for the public to know that Palin raised taxes as governor, supported the Bridge to Nowhere before she opposed it, pursued pork-barrel projects as mayor, tried to ban books at the local library and thinks the war in Iraq is “a task from God.” The attempts by the McCain campaign to bully us into not reporting such things are not only stupidly aggressive, but unprofessional in the extreme.

Who “bullied” you into not “vetting” your God-King Obama’s connections with unregenerate and unrepentant terrorist, communist, and would-be murderer Bill Ayers? Or his intimate relationship with a scumbag influence peddler and Syrian national named Tony Rezko? Or a revolutionary, white-hating preacher Jeremiah Wright? Or Michelle Obama’s various unsavory connections with far left figures? Or her odd huge wage increase after Obama was elected to the US Senate?

Yes, you eventually reported on all of these things - but only after the blogosphere and conservative talk radio had dug up these issues, reported on them, and forced you into doing the “vetting” you would have done almost anything to avoid.

Face it: you don’t “vet,” you defend your political idols, and attack their enemies. Until you do otherwise, don’t expect much sympathy for your whinefest about the reaction to your attempted smear job on Sarah Palin.

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