Tag: quotable

Lewis Lapham proves again why I’ve always wanted to have a drink or two with him, preferably in the dining car of a cross-country train.

Lewis Lapham isn’t happy with political journalism today. “There was a time in America when the press and the government were on opposite sides of the field,” he said at a premiere party for Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson on June 25. “The press was supposed to speak on behalf of the people. The new tradition is that the press speaks on behalf of the government.” An example? “Tim Russert was a spokesman for power, wealth, and privilege,” Lapham said. “That’s why 1,000 people came to his memorial service. Because essentially he was a shill for the government. It didn’t matter whether it was Democratic or Republican. It was for the status quo.” What about Russert’s rep for catching pols in lies? “That was bullshit,” he said. “Thompson and Russert were two opposite poles.”

[From Lewis Lapham Unhappy With Political Journalism, Including Tim Russert — New York Magazine ]

Now that Russert is safely in the ground, I can say without guilt I always thought Russert was the worst kind of putz.