Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Sam Donaldson Endorses Bloomberg and (some) Journalists Throw a Fit

I am 53 and have to wonder how many people younger than me even know who he is. Of those who like me, remember him, after getting past that initial response of "I didn't know he was still alive," most off us are likely to respond with a giant "who cares?" But apparently some in his former profession (he has been retired for seven years) think that the journalistic code of ethics (try not to laugh) is a bit like the mob; once in never out. Which is to say they think he has forever forfeited his right to express political opinions because he used to be the White House correspondent for ABC News.

Rubbish.

Whatever one may think of his opinions, he is entitled to them and he has not forfeited his basic rights to freedom of expression. Donaldson is retired, and has been for quite a while. If he was still on the job, then yes, his endorsement would have been seriously unethical. But he isn't. These people need to get over their inflated view of themselves.

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1 comment:

The Anti-Gnostic said...

He's lending his gravitas, supposedly acquired as a professional journalist, to Mike Bloomberg. I don't know and I'm open to being proved wrong, but I'm guessing he was paid. Wigs cost money, after all.

So it's not something I'll fall out of my chair over, and really, how much has Sam Donaldson ever been a "journalist." But it's still cynical and mercenary.