Secondly, that the left is finally getting around to objecting to the MSM's laziness/incompetence/bias is telling. For many years, they have written off this complaint when proffered by the right. Oh, but now...

Captin Sarcastic commenting at QandO had this observation:

Every day I am more convinced that there is no such thing as political awareness, instead, we are more like sports fans, supporting the teams we have chosen to support, come hell or high water.

That correct holding call that went against ones opponent, is an unjustified penalty when called against ones own team. This is not an indicator of intellectual honesty.

Obama has accomplished hoodwinking a large number of voters who are buying in to empty rhetoric.

Bush did it and did it twice so why is this news?

His inarticulate, lame and bumbling manner seems typical of the "Obamabots" - generally whiny, self-centered and uninformed.

How is this a "gotcha game"? Think about it. Watson was going on TV for one purpose, to pump up Obama as the man for the presidency. This was a softball question. Whatever reasons Watson had for thinking Obama was the man for the presidency, he could insert them there. If he had a cute story about Obama, he could put it there. If he had a press release from Obama, he could have put the answer after that. This was an open ended question that allowed Watson to make a free 30 second commercial telling us what is great about Obama. And we got the answer. Obama is inspirational. Thats it. That is the sole reason that Obama is the man for the presidency.

Now should Matthew give an Obama (or Clinton, or McCain) supporter a soap box to make a free 30 second commercial like this? Probably not. I agree that journalism would generally be better served not with softball questions but with more substantive questions that aren't going to solicit the equivalent of a campaign commercial. But even a blind squirrel occasionally finds a nut and Mathews seems to have stumbled upon one.

Let's face it, journalism is in the toilet. From your local paper to the television networks they have failed in their responsibility to public service.

Real journalism may be boring but it is sorely needed. I see the profession lacking even the most basic professional standards and continuing to allow fraud and negligence within it's ranks. Matthews is just one of many hacks and this type of gotcha game is proof.

I think it says quite a bit about Obama that a state senator with 10+ years experience in politics would be caught so flat footed. It gives an example of the truth behind the charge that Obama may be inspirational, but where is the substance. An experienced politician can't name off the top of his head why he supports a presidential candidate other than he is inspirational.

I don't think that is 'gotcha journalism' either. If he asked about Watson about his position on what Obama thinks is a patriotic company (referring to the legislation Obama has co-sponsored), then hitting him on specifics in the bill (e.g. does it require the elimination of secret ballots in union elections?) would be a gotcha given how low profile the issue is. But being unable to give any accomplishment that makes you think Obama would make a good president is a very reasonable open ended question. And I think we got a reasonable answer that Watson was persuaded by Obama's inspirational capabilities, not by any substantial accomplishment.