... And Then You Start To Wonder

Could they possibly be willing to sacrifice their credibility completely for ideology?

The "they" in this case is big media outlets like CBS, ABC, NBC, the NY Times, the Washington Post, etc.  There was an "anonymous" email sent to Glenn Reynolds (note: Mr. Reynolds knows who it is, but the author of the email asked for anonymity if it was published) says that major media is "in the tank for O."

A READER AT A MAJOR NEWSROOM EMAILS: "Off the record, every suspicion you have about MSM being in the tank for O is true. We have a team of 4 people going thru dumpsters in Alaska and 4 in arizona. Not a single one looking into Acorn, Ayers or Freddiemae. Editor refuses to publish anything that would jeopardize election for O, and betting you dollars to donuts same is true at NYT, others. People cheer when CNN or NBC run another Palin-mocking but raising any reasonable inquiry into obama is derided or flat out ignored. The fix is in, and its working." I asked permission to reprint without attribution and it was granted.

I know, I know, anonymous source and all that.  But then you find out that at ABC some comments have been "disappeared." (HT: Gateway Pundit and Ace)

After I posted this comment, I noticed another commenter included the same link. I went back to look at the reactions to both comments - and one at a time - they were both pulled from the comments. My original comment was time-stamped 7:42:49 PM - and as you can see below there is no remaining comment for that time. It was removed...

It is really pathetic. Not only is the mainstream media not reporting crucial facts for this election, they are affirmatively patrolling their own user comments to remove material detrimental to the chosen one ... Barack Obama. This sort of nonsense is not fitting the fair reporting done by Jake Tapper so far during this presidential campaign.

And you witnessed the different approaches on "The View" to the two candidates.  And you recall the different type of interviews ABC's Charlie Gibson and CBS' Katie Couric have given to candidates, both showing blatant disdain for Gov. Sarah Palin and near-worship of Barack Obama.  And you realize that NBC continues to tolerate the naked partisanship of Keith Olbermann.  And you read that the Washington Post took John McCain to task for a campaign ad that quoted ... the Washington Post.

And then you start to wonder.

10/1/08 0640: And you notice that Gwen Ifill, of all people, is moderating the VP debate on Thursday.  The effect of the moderator should be to blend into the background, putting the focus on the candidates.  We'll see.

Ifill and her publisher are banking on an Obama/Biden win to buoy her book sales. The moderator expected to treat both sides fairly has grandiosely declared this the “Age of Obama.” Can you imagine a right-leaning journalist writing a book about the “stunning” McCain campaign and its “bold” path to reform timed for release on Inauguration Day – and then expecting a slot as a moderator for the nation’s sole vice presidential debate?

10/1/08 0650: Some mainstream news outlets may occasionally man-up and admit an error of bias, and try to correct their ways.  I'm hopeful, but that won't happen in the U.S. until after Nov. 4.