Some people only hear what they want to hear. Every time I point out how wrong it is to gratuitously attack Gov Palin (or Secretary Clinton or other high profile women politicians) I also expressly point out that it is, however, our job to aggressively scrutinize their policies. You can do that without being hostile but by asking questions that begin with simple words like "why" or "how." Being nasty is not the job of the journalist - that may play to a particular nasty journalist's in crowd, but that is not the job of a journalist. Some don't hear (they don't want to) that when I talk about being personal that I am talking about fundamental fairness. There is a big difference between being good journalists (being fair and trying to develop information for the viewers and readers) and being nasty just to be nasty.
If you listen to what I say about this topic (and don't just hear what you want to hear) it is the same each time - whether it be about either of the two highest profile women politicians (currently Palin and Clinton.) No woman politician should endure personal attacks (no male politician should either.) Women politicians should receive the same treatment as the male politicians. Women politicians should also not get a light treatment from the media because they are women but rather the same treatment as the men.
An obvious example of being personal... attacking a politician's child. That is over the top and for one reason: to be nasty, not to inform the public. And sure there are tricky ways to make it look like you are not doing it but we can all see through that.
Last night on ON THE RECORD I took issue with a woman journalist - Sally Quinn - who was nasty in what she wrote -- there was no need for it. Her column did not advance anything except to amuse her crowd and others. Yes, I suppose I will take some heat from some for doing this, but at the end of the day, I would rather think I had the courage to stand up for fairness (regardless of the person or the person's party), then that I was a coward and went along with the crowd.
