It's Almost Like Praying. Maria.

Jeff Taylor | January 7, 2004

Not at NBC though, where Maria Shriver's coworkers are reportedly hot to shove the First Lady of California out the door. It was evidently OK to have a crypto-Kennedy on staff, but now that Shriver has gone over to the Dark Side -- and actually wants her husband to succeed, no less -- the great and fickle God of journalistic ethics demands that Shriver cease warping the vacant minds of helpless sofa-pods.

How utterly absurd. At least we know who she is sleeping with. Not so for all the producers, writers, strategists, bookers, editors, and staffers who populate the deeply incestuous poli-media melange.

And can we stick some copy in front of these insufferable Poynter Institute types, so that they have something to do? How much hand-wringing over ethics do we need? Don't be an ass, don't lie, don't steal. There. Next.

BTW, I thought Mr. Shriver's state-of-the-state speech was quite good, but notice how his convincing lines on over-spending go unreported. Don't lie, don't be an ass.

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CERDIP|1.7.04 @ 1:21AM|#

My favourite lines were:

"Every governor proposes moving boxes around to reorganize government.

I don't want to move the boxes around; I want to blow them up."

That's a Governor I'd want, uh, to be Premier, in *my* province!

|1.7.04 @ 3:24AM|#

RE: �There was further alarm at the news division when Shriver was quoted about recalcitrant California legislators: "I say if some of these legislators were children, we'd give them a timeout."�, Lloyd Grove in NY Daily News (as per cite above)

Ever since the stultifyingly stupid details of the state program to deregulate the electric utilities began to emerge, I have entertained serious questions about the competence of State Assembly people. Ms. Shriver appears to have got it right. They needed a timeout, but instead the state got a blackout.

|1.7.04 @ 6:58AM|#

I don't think they'd have a problem with Maria -- and actually, they didn't -- when she was quietly advising her hubby behind the scenes. But when she's out there actively pushing his agenda, that's dicey. You don't see Andrea Mitchell going around pressuring politicos to accept Greenspan policy.
And back when Shriver was simply a member of the Kennedy clan (and not the first lady of California), again you didn't see her aggressively consulting for politicians.
Guys, it's pretty obvious that this is different than some copy editor who may also be a member of the ACLU.

|1.7.04 @ 7:44AM|#

Your simple code of ethics is simple enough to follow but allows enough wiggle room for the dishonest to do anything they want.

Many years ago I worked in a purchasing department. When I asked about rules concerning gifts from sales people I was given this simple rule: You can't accept any gift unless you can eat it, drink it, or sleep with it. I knew a few PA's that must have been able to sleep with a color TV.

|1.7.04 @ 9:38AM|#

Good? I thought it was inspiring. I'm a sucker for idealistic speaches like that and found myself getting excited for the future of the state. If Arnold is able to successfully play the role of salesman as he stated, I think he could carry us to a great future.

Of course all of that was wishful thinking and the heavy lifting begins today. It won't be that easy. But for those 30 minutes I believed.

Arnold could cut out the movie references. We all know his past and those quips grind his speeches to a halt.

|1.7.04 @ 10:28AM|#

Wow, if he could accomplish even half of what he laid out in his speech, he'd be a politician I could actually be happy to see in office. Go Arnold!

Franklin Harris|1.7.04 @ 10:55AM|#

Unfortunately, the Poynter ninnies have plenty to do. When they're not going on about "ethics," they are complaining about the lack of "newsroom diversity," by which they mean newsrooms are full of white people who all think alike rather than white, black, brown and yellow people who all think alike.

|1.7.04 @ 12:35PM|#

Why isn't NBC concerned about Andrea Mitchell? Her husband only controls the money supply of the United States. That's a tad bit more powerful than the Governor of Kalifornea.

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