Let's Get Serious

David Sirota keeps his eye on the ball, i.e., the economic effects of the story under the fog of distractions:

Come see the new exotic breed of human being: The Washington Serious Policy Thinker: "Come see the new exotic breed of human being: The Washington Serious Policy Thinker
The New York Times has a story on Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) and how, facing a serious challenge to her seat, she's resorted to some of the most wild-eyed, desperate tactics seen in a long time. The most telling part of the story, however, is not Johnson's nauseating fearmongering - but the Times' characterization of her. It tells you everything you need to know about how the metrics many Beltway journalists use to define who is a Serious Person and who isn't.

Here's the excerpt I am talking about:

'In her 12 terms in Congress — the longest tenure in the state’s history — [she] has earned a reputation as a serious policy thinker on health care and social programs.'

The Times, of course, doesn't tell us who she's 'earned' this reputation from, only that she's supposedly 'earned' it. In lieu of a source on this characterization, we can only assume that it is the Times' reporter that considers her a Serious Policy Thinker on health care and social programs. And that begs the uncomfortable question - what objective facts can a Washington reporter cite in justifying calling someone like Johnson Serious?"