LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.   Exclusive Truthdig Merchandise: Mr. Fish T-shirts and Signed Prints
November 11, 2009
Log in / Register

 Choose a size
Text Size

Most Read

A Disappointing Year With Obama

Afghanistan's Sham Army

Kucinich: Why I Voted No

Digital Dumping and the Global 'E-Cycling' Scam

Gorbachev's Sermon on the Mount

Most Comments
Most Emailed

Reports

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture

Digs
Financial Meltdown 101
Vetting Sarah Palin

Truthdig Bazaar
The Tyranny of Dead Ideas

The Tyranny of Dead Ideas

By Matt Miller
$16.50

Coal River

Coal River

By Michael Shnayerson
$16.50

more items

 
A/V Booth

Romney, Reporter Spar in a Staples Store

Email this item Email    Print this item Print   
Posted on Jan 17, 2008
Romney in SC
cbsnews.com

Sure, it’s easy to criticize candidates in situations like this, but then again, we’re not the ones trying to make meaningful speeches about the future of America in front of an aisle of Trapper Keepers.

Following presidential candidates from state to state as they shake hands, kiss babies (and backsides, some might say, in the figurative sense) and promise to be the Best Prez Ever! must get tiresome for reporters on the campaign trail. In this clip, it’s hard to say if the grind got to AP scribe Glen Johnson or whether Mitt Romney’s claims about eschewing lobbyists made him snap, but things get tense in a Columbia, S.C., Staples store when Johnson challenges Romney over his assertion that he doesn’t include lobbyists in his senior strategy team. 

This video, posted by CBS, also includes footage of a revealing interaction between Johnson and Romney’s press aide, showing the perpetual power struggle between reporters and publicists in which interview access and positive media coverage represent the currency of the realm.

Follow this link to watch the clip:

More Below the Ad

Advertisement


Elsewhere: .

Comments

Are you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.

By Outraged, January 20, 2008 at 1:46 am #

But really, Romney looks the least plastic as I’ve ever seen him….don’t ya think?  It is true then, those fluorescent lights can be soooo unforgiving….my, my, my.  Personally, I’m still not convinced that Romney is NOT an android.

Hats off to Glen Johnson!  and well….also a request…..could you please UP the ante and be MORE “unprofessional” and “argumentative”.  Some of us, like you, truth be told….call that journalism.

For god’s sake Glen, don’t you realize TRUTH is just a “over-emphasized” ideology in journalism…?  If you make the “poor” man sweat he just might short-circuit.

Report this

By ChaxC, January 18, 2008 at 5:01 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

He doesn’t put the time and money into the campaign, just to do favors for lobbyist, he does it so the companies the lobbyists lobby for will give him kick backs, like they do for Romney’s old buddy George.
A man like Mitt doesn’t make an investment unless it pays back.

Report this

By Rhea, January 18, 2008 at 1:16 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Johnson should be an example to all students of journalism. Journalists are MEANT to challenge sources, not kiss up to them and live in fear of alienating them with ‘tough’ questions.

Report this

By RS Janes, January 18, 2008 at 10:57 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

After the encounter with Romney, Johnson had a little tete-a-tete with one of Mitt’s handlers, who told the reporter to be ‘professional.’ That’s apparently a code word for not challenging candidates when they blow large plumes of smoke.

Funny, I remember when the job of a journalist was to ask just such questions as Johnson was asking, and to challenge politicians when they tried to deceive the public.

But that was back in the days when Habeas Corpus was the law of the land.

Report this

By Expat, January 18, 2008 at 6:58 am #

This is one tricky guy.  He just oozes multi-faces.

Report this

By P. T., January 18, 2008 at 6:06 am #

If he is so down on lobbyists, he shouldn’t be using one as an advisor.

Report this

Add Your Comment

Posts by unregistered readers are moderated. Posts by members
are published immediately. Why wait? Register today!







Number of characters remaining: 4000

Notify you when others comment on this article?


Are you a human?
Retype the word you see here.


Please read and abide by our comment policy.
By submitting this comment, you agree to this site's terms and conditions.

 
Click here to learn more about Truthdig
 

 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
Copyright © 2009 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.