They ... Contacted Us!

Matt Welch | October 28, 2004

Amusing New York Times article today about the pain of high-profile campaign reporters having to deal with, as Tom Brokaw puts it, "people just lying in the Internet bushes, waiting to strike." Snippet:

Journalists covering the campaign believe the intent is often to bully them into caving to a particular point of view. They insist the efforts have not swayed them in any significant way, though others worry the criticism could eventually have a chilling effect. [...]

Many sites urge visitors to personally call reporters and news organizations and send e-mail messages, which can number in the hundreds daily. [...]

Bob Somerby, a comedian who runs a Web site called The Daily Howler that often accuses the news media of being shallow, lazy, bullied by Republicans and unfairly critical of Democrats, said a more genteel approach would not be effective. (He has referred to this reporter on his Web site as "dumb" and in "over his head" for being blind or turning a blind eye to Republican spin.)

Somerby responds here; my April take on hordes vs. gatekeepers is here.