Pretending Not To Notice Lots Of Things

Froomkin has a piece about a lot of media sins. This might not be the most important one, but it's the most obvious case of "pretending not to notice things" which is one of the most important skills for a political reporter.

Stein describes a “growing backlash in rural Ohio,” involving “hundreds of activists” who are largely “nonideological.” He describes a county commission meeting “where more than 200 opponents of the solar project showed up in matching red shirts.”

But as climate journalist David Roberts tweeted: “Amazing. Yet another piece about rural opposition to clean energy that does not even *mention* the massive, coordinated, well-funded astroturf campaign of right-wing propaganda that has been marshaled against it….. Like where do you think that roomful of old people *got* those matching red t-shirts?”

In addition to the shirt thing, you all might remember how the Tea Party freaks - also a well-funded and promoted astroturf movement - were portrayed as "nonideological." Important to note that's the highest praise (ridicuously) from political journalists - themselves "nonideological" - and *also* a label they only ever apply to obvious right wingers.

HMMM WHAT CAN WE CONCLUDE FROM THAT?????