A May 3 NewsBusters post by Lachlan Markay attacks ProPublica as “a libber non-profit news outlet” (“libber”? Is that some new technical term?) that “has little interest in exerting itself in investigations of liberal politicians – let alone the Obama White House (where there is certainly plenty to investigate).” Markay then cites a Marvin Olasky column that similarly complains that ProPublica applies “almost no pressure on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.” and serves up only “Nerf ball throws.”
Here are just a few ProPublica articles critical of the Obama administration that Markay and Olasky have missed:
- ProPublica has criticized the Obama administration for not living up to its promises of transparency.
- It labeled a claim by Obama on the effects of the stimulus “half true.”
- It has documented the failure of an Obama administration program to modify mortgages.
Markay’s main complaint, though, is that the Pulitzer-winning ProPublicais not described as liberal, while NewsBusters’ sister organization, CNSNews.com, is identified as “conservative activists.” But Markay seems not to understand that CNS has amply demonstrated itself to be little more than an ideological organization masquerading as a “news” outlet and that its reporters are, in fact, conservative activists.
Is ProPublica ambushing politicians with loaded gotcha questions like CNS does? No. Is ProPublica attacking the content of museum exhibits, like CNS does? No. Is ProPublica redefining words to fit its agenda, like CNS does? No.
Markay’s real complaint, it seems, is that ProPublica doesn’t hate Obama as much as he does. That’s hardly a basis for legitimate media criticism.