On Sunday's Reliable Sources with Howard Kurtz on CNN, Kurtz and his panel all agreed that former Bush Press Secretary, Scott McClellan's revelation that the Bush White House regularly sends "talking points" to the FoxNews Channel because "there were commentators and pundits who were useful to the White House," was a non-story. They said it was a non-story since everyone gets talking points, even though McClellan confirmed that Bill O'Reilly was one who was sent the talking points.
A non-story?
The Fox News Channel "quarterback" (by his own admission), and the most watched news show on cable with millions of Folks watching (by his own repeated pats on the back), has made it quite clear that he nor anyone at Fox News gets talking points.
"I've been here from the beginning, and have never seen a White House "talking points." -- And I don't know anyone else who's seen one either. I asked senior management if they have ever seen a White House talking points. No one had." Bill O'Reilly reacting to Dan Rather's accusation that FoxNews gets White House Talking Points. 12/06.
O'Reilly likes to have the folks believe he's an independent and objective news gatherer so why would he not just say that "he gets the talking points but ignores them?" which would certainly not be unethical?
One reason. None of that is true. He's neither independent, objective nor ethical.
It may not be news to me or you or Kurtz, but it just could be to the millions who hang on Bill's every word.
And that's the story Kurtz missed.
Steve Young, author of "Great Failures of the Extremely Successful," blogs at steveyoungonpolitics.com