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 | | Watchdogs of Democracy?: The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public by Helen Thomas ISBN-10: 9780743267823 ISBN-10: 0-7432-6782-6 ISBN-13: 9780743267823 ISBN-13: 978-0-7432-6782-3 Paperback 2007-06-12 Scribner Find Lowest Price |
Editorials | ||
Product Description In the course of more than sixty years spent covering Washington politics, Helen Thomas has witnessed firsthand a raft of fundamental changes in the way news is gathered and reported. Today, she sees a growing -- and alarming -- reluctance among reporters to question government spokesmen and probe for the truth. The result has been a wholesale failure by journalists to fulfill what is arguably their most vital role in contemporary American life -- to be the watchdogs of democracy. Here, the legendary journalist and bestselling author delivers a hard-hitting manifesto on the precipitous decline in the quality and ethics of political reportage -- and issues a clarion call for change. Thomas confronts some of the most significant issues of the day and provides readers with rich historical perspective on the roots of American journalism, the circumstances attending the rise and fall of its golden age, and the nature and consequences of its current shortcomings. The book is a powerful, eye-opening discourse on the state of political reportage -- as well as a welcome and inspiring demand for meaningful and lasting reform. | ||
Reviews | ||
An interesting read Being as though this comes from Helen Thomas, it is as interesting as you'd think it might be. However, the editing is a little odd in that it reads like a bunch of random thoughts. Maybe it was a bunch of random thoughts. Who knows. I find myself wanting to know more of the story a lot of the time. I wouldn't skip this one if you think it sounds interesting, but don't get too excited about how much insight you'll get. | ||
VERY INTERESTING BOOK Helen Thomas has covered the White House since JFK and her insight into how the media has failed in the recent years to cover the White House and be the Watchdogs of Democracy is "Right on Point." There are very few "Real" Journalists like hardworking Helen Thomas around anymore!! | ||
What's going on in Washington DC? The lady in the red suit scores again with this cogent comment on the Washington press corps. Ms. Thomas, who pitches hardball questions during press conferences if she is allowed to do so, has very coherently and successfully produced a well-reasoned text about why the press corps failed the American people by not investigating the shenanigans surrounding the present administration. This is a necessary read for journalism students and probably for those interested history and political science. | ||
A misleading title on a journalistic memoir This book sorely disappointed me for two reasons. I strongly agree with the thesis of the title, that the media largely abandoned their important duty as watchdogs of democracy in the run-up to the War in Iraq, HOWEVER, this issue amounts to a grand total of ONE chapter in her entire book. The rest is a bunch of anecdotes tied loosely together. In fact, it reads more like an anthology than a unified work. The second thing that disappointed me was also something of a shock: Helen Thomas, Grand Dame, Dean of the Washington Press Corps, is a lousy writer! I am serious. I read on average one or two political/nonfiction books a month, and this is one of the most poorly written I have read yet. Some of the books I have read are by "regular" people, some by pundits, and some by politicians. Nearly all of them write in a more interesting and engaging style than Mrs. Thomas. Her tone is often conversational at best, and her stories seem to be told as much to discuss presidents' interactions with the media as to tell you what an interesting career she has had. I could not in good faith give it one star. It isn't horrible. It is just extremely disappointing. | ||
rambling, disjointed, biasd, personal, fun This is a rambling, disjointed, biased, personal account of what should be an important public issue. The title has a question mark, and the subtitle identifies the culprit and makes an accusation. So how does "Watchdogs of Democracy? The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public" measure up? Not very well on the subject, but better as a collection of snippets. The foreword drones on and on for ten pages. Chapter 1 tells us Journalism is an honorable profession in spite of Jayson Blair and a few others. Chapter 2 mentions several scandals uncovered by the press. Chapter 3 has anecdotes about presidents with the press. Chapter 4 is about press secretaries. Chapter 5 is about spinning the news. Chapter 6 is about leakers and whistle blowers. Chapter 7 admits that the news business is a business. Chapter 8 complains about the FCC. Chapter 9 is the subject of the book, the press as lapdogs. Chapter 10 covers war correspondents, Iraq wars, and Vietnam. Chapter 11 covers her choice of the greatest American journalists. There is over 11 pages of closely spaced, double column index, but no references. Thomas seems to think there is little in Washington except the White House. The other branches, and the bureaus and departments are seldom mentioned. Some Republicans will be bothered by some of her attacks, and some Democrats will be delighted. There are attacks, and both Democrats and Republicans are the targets, perhaps in equal numbers, but they are treated differently. Democrats tend to get the passive voice and quirky little adjectives. Republicans tend to get the active voice and malicious adjectives. Bush 43 gets the worst treatment. Still, it is an entertaining book. The only time I was tempted to put it down was Thomas quoting herself giving a speech disguised as a question at a White House Press Conference. | ||