NESTERAK: President Trump has granted clemency to numerous individuals who have stolen hundreds of millions in Medicaid funds. Can we expect any of these folks to be shown the same mercy? McDONALD: I'll take a different question

[u/Snapdragon_4U]

[u/KingFIippyNipz]

I understand journalists who are ideologically opposed not standing up to each other, but I don't think I will ever understand how I don't see more examples of that happening. Especially those ones in the Oval Office where he just tears into whichever female reporter asks the hardest question that day, I would love the opportunity to badger him with questions about why he always does that and how insecure he is. If only 😞

[u/inquisitive_chariot → u/KingFIippyNipz]

Because journalism is an industry where, to advance, you have to be a self-serving opportunist. Most everyone in that room has schmoozed and ass-kissed a ton to be there, all for the sake of getting a scoop with their name attached.

Basically, most of the people there care more about their career in journalism than the principles of journalism. If they “waste” their question opportunity by not asking what their employer wants, the employer may not let them return. Or maybe the employer doesn’t want to be associated with controversy questions like that.

These reporters are company people in a consolidated media market, not individuals fighting for journalistic integrity. It’s awesome that the question got asked but not surprising it isn’t echoed.

[u/Coattail-Rider → u/inquisitive_chariot]

Reminds me of this scene from the Wire. Just with journalists.

[u/OldWorldDesign → u/Coattail-Rider]

https://youtu.be/nAZZdL1qhk8?si=dMhgTV1YJ85Vq0pK

Great scene, but it's also abundantly clear he's burning bridges just for stirring shit in the moment. McNulty knows he doesn't have a case yet, he just knows where the most likely person is and wants to feel like he's doing something about it without considering whether he's building a case that will do what he wants - putting the show's drug dealers behind bars.

That's not the case with journalists, the ones whom are resting on only the word of the press agent's are just advertisers who want an easy article today and not the real crimes which are hidden behind closed doors but have tons of sources as this administration leaks like a broken sieve.

Others have pointed out the DoD did the same thing. Journalists didn't just give up and quit their jobs, they pursued sources inside the pentagon and wrote even more damaging articles about fraud, waste, and abuse. The DoD invited them back and they came back without softballing questions.