While providing slim to no coverage of Vice President Al Gore’s August 7th speech at New York University, lemming-like ranks of corporate punditry raced to trash the Vice President’s ephemeral motivations and attempt to over ride serious charges, such as:

Too many of our soldiers are paying the highest price, for the strategic miscalculations, serious misjudgments, and historic mistakes that have put them and our nation in harm's way.

The US pulled significant intelligence resources out of Pakistan and Afghanistan in order to get ready for the rushed invasion of Iraq and that disrupted the search for Osama at a critical time.

We are losing millions of jobs -- net losses for three years in a row. That hasn't happened since the Great Depression.

The very idea of self-government depends upon honest and open debate…The Bush Administration routinely shows disrespect for that whole basic process.


The aptly named Gwen Ifil, hosting the wreckage of PBS’ jazzed-up Washington Week In Review, last Friday, after the mandatory mocking references to Vice President Gore, said:

I read that speech and that I watched portions of it and I was, I—I couldn’t get the answer to my question, which is: What was he doing?

I sent Ms. Ifil a brief note:

Gwen, I began watching Washington Week in Review when a started doing air control at WCET during my college days in 1972. I was a regular viewer for several decades. I stopped watching during the "bloodletting" that became your path to the anchor seat.

This isn't totally personal, Gwen, though I must admit to burning anger at Condi's recent gush over your cooking skills after you introduced her to the National Association of Black Journalists Convention in Dallas.
Next time she drops by I would think you would be better served to, between courses, offer Dr. Condi some clothing and makeup advise.

I grow weary of the lightly accessorized monopastel Laura Bush look. Plus, it clashes with the Ricester's signature shifty-eyed flop sweat.
It is all so clubby! Washington was always clubby but now is private clubby in a flood of graft and sleaze that almost appears clean in its corporate dressage. WWIR simply reflects this corrupted change in Washington.
We are on to you, Gwen. And, on to all the other mediocre representatives of humanity and corporate journalism that haunt your semi-round table. I cannot imagine your audience except to know that it must be terrifically smaller than old rumpled Paul Duke's. Mr. Duke, while not enrobed in a tailored Neiman-Marcus creation, would have reported on Vice President Al Gore's recent speech in a far different fashion. He would not have wondered over the speaker's motivation but would have reported on the contents of the speech.
So, shame on you, Gwen. To many former loyal viewers your snappy hot color set represents the wreckage of the WWIR tradition. No one will remember the faceless PBS suits who likely share greater responsibility for WWIR's inferior transformation but people that count will remember you. So, in summary:

1-Makeup and clothing tips for friend Condi

2-Stop whoring for the Kool Kids

Quick Time, RealVideo and WindowsMedia streams of August 7th Gore speech

Washington Week In Review stream

Photos: Reuter's, CNN and PBS
- posted by Sean @ 3:54 PM