I was one of Huffington Post's citizen journalists covering the 2008 election, and wrote several stories, including, "My Great Schlep To Florida." I am a reporter for The Alternative Press in New Jersey, and specialize in covering education issues. I am a founder of Advocates For Education in Millburn, NJ. I directed the benefits, "Broadway For Obama," and "Broadway For A New America," and a host of other NY shows. I am on the faculty of Circle In The Square Theatre School in Manhattan, and teach and direct at the Paper Mill Playhouse Summer Conservatory. I have been dismayed at some of the media coverage of the health care debate, and am happy to do my part to highlight articles that clarify issues.
The article provides tangible results of studies made about dangerous cities. It does not attempt to hide the real facts, as Bill O'Reilly quite obviously did in his article about immigration and safety. The writer also suggests that auto thefts and violent crime be separated in such studies, so the reality of serious crime in Phoenix could be accurately evaluated.
Quality journalism, no. However the point that this is astroturf is not totally off-target. Calling Olbermann and Maddow "lefty talking heads" isn't straightforward journalism, and certainly reveals a bias.
There were very valid points made, far more than I would have anticipated. He acknowledged up front that he was interviewing doctors with a different point of view. None were hostile to Obama's plan, but all had their own point of view, which made it intriguing. This was one of the fairer Fox segments I've seen.
It is certainly not. It deals far more with white coats or no white coats than the important issue of health care. And its bias is flaunted by using a word like "spiel" to describe the President's speech. This article is not journalism, it is propaganda dressed up to be news.
