The Public Editor: The Truth and Alberto Gonzales

New York Times by Clark Hoyt | Sep. 9, 2007 (Review)

Why doesn't The New York Times just come out and say that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is a liar?

Sometimes, something seems so obvious to many readers -- that Gonzales lied repeatedly -- that they want their newspaper to say it just that plainly, and they're frustrated when it won't.

Take Bob Garfield, co-host of NPR's "On the Media." I was Garfield's guest on last week's program. He told me that he had read all the coverage leading up to Gonzales's resignation and concluded "that the attorney general has been lying through his ... Full Story »

Posted by Leo Romero

See All Reviews »

View

4.6

by Lynn Caporale - Oct. 1, 2008

This article very clearly defines the Public Editor's view of what should be in an article [the facts, let a reader decide the adjective] vs. in an Editorial, and gives some historical perspective [once, there were no editorials, which much name calling in the articles]. It also presents very specific examples of coverage that treat readers as intelligent beings capable of drawing their own conclusions from extensive factual evidence, rather than simply calling Gonzalez a Liar.