Arkansas Blog

Just in time for a Democratic President. Yep, I bet he will be equal opportunity OK.

Fournier might have been looking for work, but why do you think McCain was interested? It's reasonable to suspect that McCain's interest derived from the fact that Fournier is a right-leaning journalist (or hack) who's cozied up to McCain in the past. Suffice to say, I doubt McCain's people would have offered a job to a journalist who didn't share their views. Fournier could have joined McCain because Fournier is a Republican who would have been at home working as a Republican.

Really, the more we learn about Fournier, the more his work makes sense--he submits McCain campaign news releases as AP stories because he's a right-winger himself, one who brings McCain coffee and donuts, exchanges personal emails of solidarity with Karl Rove, and once entertained working for McCain (officially, rather than the non-official work he does now). His bias is pretty clearly exposed now. But we are supposed to believe that he'll play it fair, even if he hasn't.

For all the blather we hear from journalists about "ethics," they don't appear to have much teeth, at least not here. Fournier has a clear bias, but he is dictating coverage of the presidential campaign by one of the world's largest news organizations. Even worse, Fournier writes some of that coverage himself. That might be fine if the AP were an opinion forum, but it produces news accounts of events, some of which, not surprisingly, parrot the McCain campaign's positions (at least as they are at that moment) as fact. In my field, we'd call something like this a conflict of interest. I guess it's all OK in journalism, though.

ARK. BLOG: I'm not going to argue with your premise or the appearances you describe. It is a problem in the world of "objective" journalism. Of course, all journalists have personal beliefs. We accept the notion that they put them aside for conventional news reporting. The Right has long felt this convention is a sham. Here's a case where appearances contribute to putting the shoe on the other foot.

All of this is one reason why I've found myself more comfortable with each passing day with alternative newspaper-style journalism. We report thoroughly. But we don't shy away from drawing conclusions. We make no bones about the paper's political orientation. People can factor that into account about whether they give us credibility or not. But say whatever else you will, there's no hidden agenda.

Finally, it's all easy for me to say. Nobody ever offered me a job outside journalism, or whatever you want to call this. Economic imperatives for family people are a messy complication for many, however.

Gaddis,

Care to explain Stephanopolous and Matthews then?

The problem with the Fourniers (of which there a many) of the world should be handled one of two ways.. Fire them, which includes not rehiring them or moving to another news organization. Or every appearance on radio, television or print should come with a large WARNING label. Treat them like burning cigarettes in kindergarten class.

Otherwise it's not journalism at all. We used to call it propaganda, why shouldn't we call it propaganda now?

Gawker weighed in on this.
http://gawker.com/5030968/what-does-politico-have-against-ron-fournier

Ha! What the hell do they have against Ron Fournier? Especially after the last scandal, which was about how Ron was too friendly with a source. A legitimate complaint, sure, but we lived in DC. Karl Rove is buddy-buddy with half the fucking reporters in that town. They love him, he loves them, he's a source for everyone and they all go to happy hour together.

And just a few weeks ago the same reporer-Michael Calderone-from the same paper-Politico-wrote a story all about how the last person to have Fournier's job thinks Fournier sucks and is destroying journalism. Somebody up there hates you, Ron!

More on the link

The reason why McCain approached Fournier is because he (Fournier) is a hardworking operative who knows politics inside and out, is nationally respected for his ability to communicate, and was known in Washington as the hardest working reporter in town. Why would Fournier consider McCain? Because when he tired of the AP grind and went to Hot Soup and it wasn't for him, he went looking to another job. McCain approached him and I'm guessing other pols did too, if they had any sense. AP offered an advancement -- national political writer -- and he took it.

Gaddis, you need to take a chill pill. Professionals in Washington find work the same way people in Little Rock and the rest of the world does. You put your name in circulation and, if you have a good reputation and good work ethic, you get job offers. Fournier, known in Washington as a hard-nosed, get-it-first- but-get-it-right reporter can write his own ticket.

Feedblitz

Tuesday, July 29, 2008
AP's Ron "Keep up the fight" Fournier was "considered for 'senior advisory role'" in McCain campaign
Joe Sudbay (DC) · 7/29/2008 11:05:00 PM ET · Link
12 Comments · reddit · FARK · Digg It!

You all know Ron Fournier.

He's sitting with Liz Sidoti in the infamous "donuts" video.

He's the reporter who told Karl Rove to "keep up the fight" during the 2004 campaign.

He's the Washington bureau chief for the Associated Press.

And, in October of 2006, he interviewed for a position working with John McCain's presidential campaign.

I agree with Jed's take:
I guess he ultimately decided he could do more good from the AP than inside the campaign.
Just read Fournier's stuff like he's in a senior advisory role to the McCain campaign. Then, it will makes sense.