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You're Stuck On Stupid Gen. Honore vs. the media General Russel Honore took over a news conference in New Orleans yesterday. Mayor Ray Nagin had called it so that the news people could get the word out about the city's plans for evacuation as Hurricane Rita approached. Unfortunately, the media folks didn't want to talk about Rita - they wanted to continue their game of blame for the disaster following Hurricane Katrina. They insisted on asking questions about what had happened before, rather than trying to understand what was to come. It's been my position for a long time that, despite what the Poynter Institute wants you to believe, journalism - and particularly broadcast journalism - is not a profession but a craft. Unfortunately, far too many journalists hold themselves in professional esteem - and don't work to perfect their craft. A great many other reporters just simply don't have the mental capacity to understand the story they're trying to report - in other words they're stupid. Apparently the good General agrees: Honore: ... You're asking last storm questions for people who are concerned about the future storm. Don't get stuck on stupid, reporters. We are moving forward. And don't confuse the people please. You are part of the public message. So help us get the message straight. And if you don't understand, maybe you'll confuse it to the people. That's why we like follow-up questions. But right now, it's the convention center, and move on. Male reporter: General, a little bit more about why that's happening this time, though, and did not have that last time... Honore: You are stuck on stupid. I'm not going to answer that question. We are going to deal with Rita. This is public information that people are depending on the government to put out. This is the way we've got to do it. So please. I apologize to you, but let's talk about the future. Rita is happening. And right now, we need to get good, clean information out to the people that they can use. And we can have a conversation on the side about the past, in a couple of months. Radioblogger.com has the transcript and the mp3 file of the news conference. Video is here at The Political Teen. It's a hoot. |
