Comments on: Anonymous Sourcing Hits Rock Bottom

By: Beltway Anonymity | The Agitator

Beltway Anonymity | The Agitator — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:39:53 +0000

[...] anonymous sourcing is least appropriate when it’s most often used—in political reporting. Washington reporters routinely grant anonymity to political sources for even the most absurd, [...]

By: Politico’s understanding of journalistic anonymity

Politico’s understanding of journalistic anonymity — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:22:24 +0000

[...] Sargent’s request for a response to the criticisms. That response revealed what has long been clear: most establishment journalists do not even pretend any more to have any standards for [...]

By: Drasties - Dutch on the World - World on the Dutch

Drasties - Dutch on the World - World on the Dutch — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:20:10 +0000

By: Drasties - Dutch on the World - World on the Dutch

Drasties - Dutch on the World - World on the Dutch — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:01:00 +0000

[...] and the source is somewhat critical of Obama, it isn’t the worst grant of anonymity ever (this Politico article probably wins that award)], but other than that, the article is a reasonably instructive and fair [...]

By: Cornellian

Cornellian — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:46:18 +0000

I’d like to see the Washington press corp refuse to grant anonymity to sources other than genuine whistleblowers. I’d tell that anonymous aide either you say it on the record or we don’t print it.

By: Jim Collins

Jim Collins — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:16:10 +0000

So would we be having this discussion if this was a Bush aide?

By: Ken Hagler

Ken Hagler — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 03:09:09 +0000

Given the nature of the “story” the anonymous source is commenting on, I’d say the whole thing started at rock bottom and will never rise above that level.

By: john

john — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:14:29 +0000

This is strange, particularly because I remember reading the press secretary saying the same thing at a press conference.

By: chance

chance — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 16:17:00 +0000

That’s how the game has been played for decades, I’m not sure I see how this is especially egregious. The WH wants to respond to the kerfluffle, but doesn’t want to dignify the critics by acknowledging their complaint. So, staffer joe is told to call Smith and call BS. He stays anonymous because the WH would then either have to punish him for speaking out of turn, or it would have to admit it agreed with him, defeating the purpose of having him do it.

By: LibertyCowboy

LibertyCowboy — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:09:01 +0000

I think this is meant to be satirical. The average reader would see it as ridiculous and Smith would know that.

By: D.C. Russell

D.C. Russell — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 15:05:04 +0000

From your first and next-to-the-last paragraphs, I gather that you consider Ben Smith to be a journalist. Based on this report, I’d be more inclined to characterize him as a gossip columnist.

By: anonymously anarch

anonymously anarch — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 14:31:01 +0000

This is not a post.