‘Ethical lapse of monumental proportions’ at Post
Andy Alexander, the ombudsman for The Washington Post, was the head of Cox Newspaper’s Washington Bureau until it was effectively disbanded last year. Everybody who knows him speaks very highly of his wisdom and integrity.
In his new job at The Post, it has fallen to Alexander to investigate and explain the disastrous decision to charge sponsors $25,000 for off-the-record salons at the home of Post publisher Katharine Weymouth, where lobbyists could get access to top administration and congressional figures and to Post editors and reporters.
Today, Alexander publishes the results of that investigation. They are not pretty and he pulls no apparent punches. As he notes, “the criticism of The Post has been withering in the blogosphere, among commentators and the Washington establishment. The episode has left a scar that will be visible for years, and it has badly shaken the newsroom.”
It was, Alexander concludes, “an ethical lapse of monumental proportions… The damage was predictable and extensive, with charges of hypocrisy against a newspaper that owes much of its fame to exposing influence peddlers and Washington’s pay-to-play culture. The Post’s reputation now carries a lasting stain.”
Sadly, I fear that is true.
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287 comments Add your comment
I Report (-: You Whine )-:
July 11th, 2009
8:24 am
Y’all got caught, hahaha.
If the American people only knew about everything else.
They would go eewww!
Redneck Convert
July 11th, 2009
8:44 am
Well, I see this Mexican woman went and had a baby at the Waffle House. You eat good, greasy food at a Waffle House, you don’t have a baby there. And there’s no mention of a husband, so I reckon this is another welfare baby us taxpayers will have to support. And this baby will be a American citizen just because of being borned here. Most times a hardworking taxpayer just can’t catch a break.
Seems to me there better be something more than rubbing elbows with politicans if you’re going to pay $25,000 just to get into a place. It ain’t $96,000 like this Sen. Ensign’s folks paid, but it’s still a big chunk of change. I hope there was at least a teenage girl’s rear end to ogle, like this Obama did.
But then, what do you expect from a librul rag like the Washington Post? Libruls will do just about any crooked thing, but they’ll harp about Republicans being crooked 24/7. The latest I read was about this columnist David Brooks claiming he set next to a Republican Senator that had his hand on his thigh during the whole dinner. And some were even so mean they claimed it was the saintly SC Senator Lindsey Graham.
It’s no wonder I Report/You Whine just about lost his marbles and got kicked off Bookman’s blog a few times. The libruls are so unfair just about anybody would loose theirs too if you paid enough attention to all the lies the libruls tell. To hear them tell it every Republican Senator is a homo or a adulterer or a big hypocrite.
Have a good Saturday everybody.
FinnMcCool
July 11th, 2009
8:48 am
Good story at the Southern Poverty Law Center urging Congress to investigate racial extremists infiltrating our military.
http://www.splcenter.org/news/item.jsp?aid=384
Scooter
July 11th, 2009
8:50 am
Red Whine, You guys are a hoot!
mike
July 11th, 2009
8:51 am
Redneck Convert –
Thanks for the morning shot of mindless bigotry and intolerance. Next time, do a black character and include a whole bunch of bigoted stereotypes about them and see how quickly Jay yanks it. Like most liberal hypocrites, Jay tolerates bigotry as long as it is directed at the right people.
Your hateful bigotry is typical of the “tolerant” liberal hypocrites who frequent this blog.
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
9:01 am
Remember the old line: “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it?” That’s the way such “peddling of influence” used to be handled. Well, now not only does it carry a price sticker, it’s been moved to the bargain basement, overstock shelves at a price we can all afford. It really only goes to show just how cheap and tacky the newspapers have once again become. I say again because for the last few years the ghosts of the turn of the last century yellow journalists have prowled the editorial board rooms and have possessed the news staffs. But back then they weren’t so trashy as to advertise.
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
9:06 am
mike–ssh! We’re not supposed to say that! I’ve got a nice stack of note cards, though, on the liberal (and I am one) bigotry I’ve been culling from these posts. It has been an education, believe me!
I Report (-: You Whine )-:
July 11th, 2009
9:10 am
Just curious, what time every morning is the White House media/ massage coordination meeting?
jconservative
July 11th, 2009
9:13 am
…”an ethical lapse of monumental proportions…”
As the old saying goes – that is putting it mildly.
Question for a future blog/article? Why did Michael Jackson want & get “white” kids? Doesn’t make sense to me.
TnGelding
July 11th, 2009
9:16 am
Hey, times are tough in the business. You have to try to raise money any way you can. Does anyone have ethics anymore?
Kayaker 71
July 11th, 2009
9:24 am
The majority of that Bookman rhetoric could be applied to the NYT and their story about McCain having an affair with a staffer. “An ethical lapse of monumental proportions”…..”the episode has left a scar that will last for years”….” The _____ reputation carries a lasting stain.” But we never criticize the NYT, now do we? Repeatedly quoted by every liberal talking head in the nation, the Times can do no wrong. Let the Wall Street Journal try that crap and see the fireworks fly.
Kayaker 71
July 11th, 2009
9:25 am
What does it mean when it says “Your comment is awaiting moderation?”
Kamchak
July 11th, 2009
9:26 am
“Thanks for the morning shot of bigotry and intolerance. Next time, do a black character and include a whole bunch of bigoted stereotypes about them and see how quickly Jay yanks it. Like most liberal hypocrites, Jay tolerates bigotry as long as it is directed at the right people.”
Why don’t you do the parody? You will then prove your point once and for all that you know, with absolute certainty, what actions Jay will take.
TnGelding
July 11th, 2009
9:30 am
Kayaker 71
July 11th, 2009
9:25 am
You need to tone it down a little and resubmit. It could just be one word tha is considered offensive.
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
9:32 am
Tn Gelding–does anyone have ethics? I’ve got a brother can get ‘em for you wholesale!
Scooter
July 11th, 2009
9:33 am
I know I’m a little slow but what makes charging to be there unethical?
Seems like just another fund raiser to me.
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
9:33 am
Kayaker–and that word could be just about anything, context means nothing…
TnGelding
July 11th, 2009
9:37 am
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
9:32 am
As a young man, I thought I did. But alas, I’ve fallen by the wayside.
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
9:39 am
Tn Gelding–I’ve still got plenty myself sitting on the shelf unused. No market for them.
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
9:43 am
Has anybody else read the Post article referred to? A linguist’s joy read. Just remember Flip Wilson’s “the devil made me do it!”
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
9:49 am
Tn Gelding–left you a post downstairs.
Kayaker 71
July 11th, 2009
9:52 am
Well, sorry if I offended anyone on this blog. That’s sort of hard to do.
Obozo
July 11th, 2009
9:57 am
“It has already extended unemployment insurance and health insurance to those who have lost their jobs in this recession,” Obama, who is traveling today in Ghana, said in his weekly Saturday radio and Web address. “It has delivered $43 billion in tax relief to American working families and business.”
Greetings fellow dimwits-
I just wanted to tell you that my economic recovery package, the grotesque porkulus bill, has saved and/or created 659 billion jobs so far, according to Nasty Pelosi.
I know that many of you are in despair and are totally despondent, mired in gloom and hopelessness, but hang in there bucko, I am confident that we will eventually return to the prosperity and boom times of the Bush era, although it may take many, many, many, many, manymanymanymany years from now, if at all. Uh, we think. Biden, uh, has the details.
So now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to go work my magic on your health care and the weather, am I not the man?
Allah Akbar!
Yes we can!
@@
July 11th, 2009
9:59 am
No take on how this impropriety “slipped the notice” of the administration and congressional figures, jay?
I don’t have much patience for —–l…o…n…g—– explanations/EXCUSES. I never tolerated them from my daughter. In the midst of one, I would always look at her and say
“Do you know how you could make YOUR torturous ordeal a lot simpler?”
mike
July 11th, 2009
10:00 am
Kamchack –
“Why don’t you do the parody?”
Because I am one of those weird people that has a problem spewing bigotry. I’ll leave that to “tolerant” liberals like Convert.
Poop Stinks
July 11th, 2009
10:07 am
And yours does too, Mike[y]. Apparently, more than you are able to determine on your own.
Poop Stinks
July 11th, 2009
10:10 am
What does it mean when it says “Your comment is awaiting moderation?”
It means that you were a bad boy.
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
10:11 am
‘Ethical lapse of monumental proportions’ at Post
No Basiji-Peronista hyperbole there, eh Jay?
Ah say the-ah…
Kamchak
July 11th, 2009
10:11 am
Glenn Greenwald at salon.com has been writing about this and about Froomkin’s firing at WaPo. I particularly like this sentiment:
“Clearly journalism itself is not dying. What is dying–and rightfully so–is the staid, establishment-serving, passion-free, access-desperate, mindless stenographic model to which establishment journalism rigidly adheres.”
Homerphobe
July 11th, 2009
10:14 am
The year 2007, a long ago prosperous and fruitful time for America-
There is a queer in the White House Corps!
eewwww!
Let’s ride!
Duh da luh duh da luh duh da luh duh da luh duh daaaa! Duh da luh duh da luh duh da luh duh da luh duh duuuuuuhh! (Bonanza theme song, heh.)
Ari Fleischer- Uh, what’s up?
We hear that you have a member of the GLBT community in the Press Corps!
eewwwww!
Ari Fleischer- To tell you the truth, uh, I haven’t, uh, asked them.
A GLBT conspiracy!!
eewwww!
Ari, Fleischer- Whatever, how can I help you?
Well, if you don’t mind, we’d like to trample him, uh, her.
Ari Fleischer- GTF out here.
Bushie must be in on it!!! He knows there is a queer in the White Press Corps!
eewwww!
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Aahhh, yes, “Progressives.”
So that ends our tale of fright and idiocy, viewers, be sure to tune in next week as Reverend Wright rides hard against the J-E-W-S.
eewwww!
(Um, parody, in the theme of Redneck Subvert.)
Kamchak
July 11th, 2009
10:19 am
Mike
I’m not being snarky–I am talking about the scientific method. Your hypothesis is that you know with certainty, that if one of us, posting as poseur were to do a black parody, Jay would immediately pull that post. All I’m asking is that you take the next step in the scientific method and test your hypothesis. You hypothesize this at least once a week, and I for one am curious if it is true.
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
10:20 am
See, Kayaker, you can say “queer” all you want to, but moderator won’t let you use “fag*t” even if referring to yourself or pu**y in reference to a kitty cat… jus’ an’ observation on the pc speech police…
@@–I know you don’t like emiticons, but some folks don’t have a sense of humor and this kinda keeps ‘em from knee-jerkin’ you in the back
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
10:26 am
Homerphobe–we don’t need no preacher Wright down here in Georgia now that the zionist conspirators done sent us back sister McKinney…
@@
July 11th, 2009
10:44 am
RW:
I was readin’ last night’s thread and saw this:
I’d never noticed how close crooner and coroner are until I reread Jay B’s 4:48 after misreading it the first time.
I read jay’s comment I gotta say though, I just listened again to Lou’s version. If that don’t get you moving, somebody better call the coroner. the same way you did. It was only after reading your comment that I had to go back for verification.
Curioser and curio-sir.
Is Rawls known as a crooner? That may be it — guilt(y) by association.
josef:
May I call you Rodney?
In all honesty, I’ve always enjoyed a good tussle in the blog-hollow.
thomas
July 11th, 2009
10:45 am
Kamchak,
Not to break in on yours and Mike’s discussion.
But Jay has already ruled on the subject. There used to be a person who did a parody of a middle eastern muslim, Ahkmed or something along those lines was the name if I am correct. After only a few short messages of parody JAY yanked his post and banned him.
Also there have been those who did black parodies on here as well their comments were removed as well.
For whatever reason he sees fit, Jay Bookman has never and most likely will never show any concern if the group of people being the subjects of the bigotry are white.
So in terms the scientific method has already been done and tried.
What mike says is true, Redneck is allowed to dispense his sterotypical and even hateful views and Jay consistantly gives him a platform to spew his hatered and bigotry filled post.
NRB
July 11th, 2009
10:50 am
The largest ethical collapse was liberal rags like the AJC helping get Oblahma voted into office. The mainstream leftwing media has had ZERO ethics for about 30 years now. Slow news day, Jay?
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
10:54 am
@@–by all means, you may call me Rodney…”blessed are the peacemakers…” How’s it going? Was thinking about you yesterday, a fellow has set up a vegetable stand up the street and it’s been heaven without the work…even had some speckled butter beans…
Kayaker 71
July 11th, 2009
10:54 am
Cynthia Tucker finally had some words of advice for the Annointed One in her latest editorial. Forget all of the photo ops in those glitzy European palaces and come on back home to fix our economy. Guess he didn’t get all of the adulation that a narcissist needs on his European trip so time to visit Ghana where he is sure to drop a few million to a few billion in foreign aid and get all of the stroking and love that feeds his narcissism. News flash Mr. Obama….. something isn’t working and the American people are finally coming to the reality that your programs are like pouring water down a hole in the ground. Popularity rating at 49% and dropping every week. Someone has woken up.
mike
July 11th, 2009
10:58 am
Kamchak –
Looks like thomas answered your question for me.
I am interested in your comment on Froomkin. Why on earth do his supporters hold him up to be some kind of important journalist? He ran a very partisan blog in which he copied and pasted the work of other people who shared his ideological positions. Where’s the journalism in that? There are still tons of partisan blowhards who can copy and paste other people’s work.
Bud Wiser
July 11th, 2009
10:58 am
Monkey Meat told me to say that he misses everyone here………..
WHITE:
W – What
H – Have
I – I
T – Theoretically
E – Espoused
?
Yeah, should white (make that conservative) posters drum up some liberal parodies, they get slashed across the throat for a week or more, thereby allowing the dimwitted libs to drone on and on about what awful people whites (excuse me again, conservatives) are.
That, essentially, is what makes up a site trolled religiously (pun intended) by the mindless drones of Obowo, allowing them to gain speed as they chase the ephemeral cracker.
Bud Wiser
July 11th, 2009
11:01 am
Oh, and by the way, would anyone expect anything less from the crowd that screams “do as I say, not as I do”?
Duh.
Dopes with chains.
I don’t know who came up with the “Dopes with Chains” originally, but my congrats to the originality and very complete and tidy description; it fits that crowd so very well…..
Bud Wiser
July 11th, 2009
11:03 am
On a sadder note, I hated seeing Frenchy go to NY yesterday. He can buy his copy of the NY Times on any street in town to read the casigation he’ll recieve for all of the double plays he’ll be hitting into…
Have a nice weekend, everyone.
Kamchak
July 11th, 2009
11:04 am
thomas
Thank you for your reply. I have not witnessed the parodies you described, so I will have to take your word on that. Clearly Jay has lines that we should not cross and I wonder if those parodies crossed any. As for RC–I don’t think he crosses any lines. I have stated this before–I was born on Peachtree Street and RC is an accurate portrayal of what could be a nephew, cousin or uncle of mine.
Poop Stinks
July 11th, 2009
11:07 am
Awwwww, the poor conservatives. They have no place to moan. They’re run off and banned every time they try to speak their special language. Awwwwwwwwwwwww.
getalife
July 11th, 2009
11:08 am
Any paper that publishes neocon garbage should fail.
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
11:12 am
Hey folks! Save some of the venom. The Sotomayor hearings start Monday!
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
11:19 am
Let’s not wish too much harm on the AJC. If it fails, “…wherever shall we go? Whatever shall we do…”
Poop Stinks
July 11th, 2009
11:20 am
Save some venom! Are you kidding. This stuff is self-perpetuating. It’s like bacterial growth with no natural enemy. It’s like, exponential. But, it’s also special because it doesn’t stink.
josef nix
July 11th, 2009
11:24 am
Poop Stinks–
“..it’s also special because it doesn’t stink…”
Well, mine doesn’t, now yours stinks on ice…!
Poop Stinks
July 11th, 2009
11:26 am
On ice? Poop skating? Now, dat’s da bomb.