Access Journalism

There are many Trump-adjacent Republicans (they are all basically Trump adjacent now) who get treated very well by journalists because they are sources for them and who privately trash Trump, which to journalists means they are straight-shooters who say what they think, even though they don't say these things *on the record* or *to the public*.

For some reason political journalists don't realize that if there is one politician-specific skill, it's "telling whoever is in front of you what they want to hear," and they are not the savvy people who are immune to this, but for successful politicians, the biggest marks.

Chris Christie's ridiculous all channel book tour (14% approval! Lower than syphilis!) . The kid glove treatment of Kevin McCarthy. Lindsey Graham. We could just go down the list.

Objectivity!