The State of Reporting

“Wilson’s actions Wednesday, in other words, seem vastly out of character.”

I think integral reporting is a thing of the past. I am fully aware that editorials are someone’s biased opinions, but bias without thought seems to be the norm anymore and some of the conclusions beg some obvious questions that are ignored.

Recently, Congressman Joe Wilson blurted out loudly in a joint session, being addressed by the President, causing uproar among the press and the democrats. The hubbub surrounds the breaking of etiquette, civility, and tradition by a single member in the congress, but I am intrigued by the comment of Kathleen Parker stating that the actions seem vastly out of character by the Congressman. If the actions are out of character, then the question should be asked, why? Why would a Congressman known for his etiquette and class become so frustrated that he breaks with decorum and becomes belligerent in such a public manner?

This is a question that has escaped the pen and comments of the press in this latest go-round. Could it be that there is validity to his frustration? Maybe we should sit him down and ask the obvious question. What does he know that we do not? Maybe the lack of integrity that is emanating from the lips of the leader of the free world was too much and put Joe over the top.

Along those lines, revelation came the next day by the organization Factcheck.org that there were many facts misstated by the President during his speech. (http://www.factcheck.org/2009/09/obamas-health-care-speech/) Although the exact timing of the outburst was concerning coverage for illegal aliens, there were many misstatements of fact up until that point, and could have been enough to put Joe Wilson over the top causing him to act “out of character.” There is language in the bill that excludes coverage for illegals, but there is no enforcement mechanism which provides a loophole to those who are not legally in America. The Republicans had offered an amendment to the bill that would have put teeth to the denial of coverage, but it was unilaterally rejected and known to the President.

I do not know the answer to the question and may be wrong, but let us have an honest discussion that considers all possibilities and forgo the preconceived notions that are thrust upon us without thought or investigative techniques that were employed by reporters of old.