January 06, 2012
Suppose that a candidate, with no evidence whatsoever, accuses his opponent of being a child molester. Should the media simply report the accusation and the corresponding denial and not point out the fact that there is no evidence for the accusation?
This is the standard that the NYT uses in reporting Mitt Romney’s claim that:
“Mr. Obama seeks a ‘European-style welfare state’ to redistribute wealth and create ‘equal outcomes’ regardless of individual effort and success.”
The article points out that President Obama’s supporters object to this characterization of his policies, but it fails to note that there is no evidence whatsoever for Romney’s claim. In making this assertion, Romney is just making things up.
The media are being irresponsible when they imply that there is credence to a totally fabricated assertion. The responsible way to report on Romney’s accusation is that he is inventing charges against President Obama, just as if he started calling President Obama a child molester based on no evidence whatsoever.
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