PSSST….Prairie Angel notes Dan Froomkin’s answer to an online question this afternoon about the media’s almost pathological acceptance of anonymous briefings these days:
Having waited a long time for the press corps to overtly revolt against this vile tradition, allow me to suggest another possibilty: What if White House reporters just started anonymously outing the anonymous briefers to bloggers? Just an idea.
I’ve wondered the same thing. Naturally, I’d be delighted for Political Animal to become anonymous source central ? I’m very discreet ? but anyone would do as well. So why not?
I gather that ? bothersome professional ethics aside ? part of the reason is that the press corps is also pathologically averse to working together in any way. But that doesn’t really have to happen. All it takes is for a few reporters to pick a likely blog and start feeding it the dirt. Others would likely follow. And soon the White House’s insistence on keeping its public servants anonymous for purely self-serving reasons would wither away.
Great plan. Who will bell the cat first?
