I'm sure that Mr. S believes he sits neutrally in the center of America's body politic.

I don't know that he thinks that and I'm guessing most of his viewers don't, either. I suppose that, as time goes on, people are less cognizant of his previous association with the Clinton administration. That happened with Tim Russert and Chris Matthews, for example.

Really, it’s not a bad thing that ABC’s chief Washington correspondent is plugged into an active political network.

Except for one thing, is he plugged in to any active Washington political networks that aren't predominantly, if not exclusively, Democrat partisan hacks? I'm sure that Mr. S believes he sits neutrally in the center of America's body politic. It's just the he has a different idea of what the center means than I do.

I guess I don't think any of those things are exemplars of a working journalist.

None of the interviews he does are "journalism" in the sense of covering a story. He is more like an MC, giving candidates a platform for promulgating prattle. Would we consider David Letterman or Jon Stewart journalists because they interview candidates?

Similarly, moderating debates isn't journalism, etiher.

I think of journalism as an act of reporting facts about a particular issue. He really doesn't do that at all. His predecessor, Sam Donaldson, for instance did actual journalism when he reported on Nam. But when he was hosting the Brinkley show, he wasn't uncovering news.

What does he do as the "Chief Washington Correspondent"? He surely isn't covering the Hill or White House!?!?!

Well, according to ABC News:

As Chief Washington Correspondent, Stephanopoulos oversees the network's coverage of presidential and Congressional politics and reports on political and policy stories for all ABC News platforms, including "World News with Charles Gibson," "Nightline," "Good Morning America" and ABC News' digital properties, including ABCNews.com and ABC News Now.

During the 2008 primary election cycle, Stephanopoulos interviewed every major Republican and Democratic candidate, and conducted multiple interviews with Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. In August 2007 Stephanopoulos moderated separate debates for the Republican and Democratic presidential candidates in Des Moines, Ia., the only two Sunday morning debates of the primary cycle. Stephanopoulos also moderated a Democratic debate with ABC News' Charles Gibson in Philadelphia in April 2008.

Not at all. He's their chief Washington correspondent -- i.e., heads up their political reporting -- and is the moderator of their prestige Sunday show. George Will is a pundit. Stephy is presented as something much more.

My bad. I guess I don't consider TV people journalists in the conventional sense--except for maybe someone like Bill Moyers.

The Brits use a more proper term for TV hacks like Stephanopolis, "news presenter."

The only time I ever see this guy is when he is moderating "This Week With David Brinkley."

Does he really do reporting, though? What does he do as the "Chief Washington Correspondent"? He surely isn't covering the Hill or White House!?!?!

FYI: He's never been considered a journalist. He does no original reporting. He is a pundit in the mold of Obama's other dinner party buddies, Georgie Will and Billy Kristol.

Not at all. He's their chief Washington correspondent -- i.e., heads up their political reporting -- and is the moderator of their prestige Sunday show. George Will is a pundit. Stephy is presented as something much more.

"More and more, it is beginning to look like Obama is America's Medvedev, i.e., a puppet figurehead for the "Slick Willie" mafia."

While I recognize that this is ancient history, merely remembering last year's Democratic primary would put an end to such nonsensical thoughts.

I was always dubious of ABC’s giving such a position to Stephanopoulos, who came to “journalism” immediately from being a senior operative at the Clinton White House.

FYI: He's never been considered a journalist. He does no original reporting. He is a pundit in the mold of Obama's other dinner party buddies, Georgie Will and Billy Kristol.

That said, James' concern over the nearly immediate transition for Stephanapolous from the White House to ABC should've made this a scandal then, not now. The fact that he is still friends with the same people is not even slightly surprising.

It goes both ways, and it should be noted or stopped. And yet I am under no illusions that it will. Both sides are always screaming media bias and will grab any morsel to prove it's true.

The way the story makes it sound is that it just started. You may have a problem with the conference call, but it isn't a new development since Obama became President.