Topic: WorldNetDaily
It's almost cute to watch WorldNetDaily editor Joseph Farah pretend he's a fair and responsible journalist.
Here is Farah in an April 14 WND article about snagging Ben Carson as an "exclusive" columnist:
When Dr. Ben Carson’s weekly column was dropped by his syndicate last month because of his possible candidacy for the presidency in 2016, WND’s Joseph Farah scratched his head in bewilderment.
“Why should the American people be denied the opportunity to hear from Dr. Carson in his own unadulterated words every week at the very moment they are expected to evaluate their options for new leadership?” he wondered.
There’s no legal reason, said Farah. There’s no ethical reason, he suggested.
“There’s no hideous ‘Fairness Doctrine’ affecting print media on the Internet – not yet, at least,” said Farah. “Why should pure political speech, protected by the First Amendment so the people can be informed, be buried at the very time it is most important? Why should candidates be forced to buy snippets of time to get their views before the public?”
So Farah contacted Dr. Carson and offered him an exclusive forum for his views in WND every week. He gratefully accepted the opportunity, and his new weekly column begins today and will be published each Wednesday.
Of course, there is an ethical reason why a news outlet should not give an active candidate a forum in the form of an "unadulterated" weekly column: it demonstrates lack of objectivity and shows bias.
Given that Farah has never been troubled by such ethical concerns, it's no surprise that he would do such a thing -- and, by extension, taint Carson with an "exclusive" association to a "news" organization known for its lies and hate.
Farah tries to play off his bias later in the article:
Will some accuse Dr. Carson of getting a free ride for his views at WND at the expense of other presidential candidates – Republicans and Democrats? Farah has an answer to such a charge.
“I invite every serious, bona fide presidential candidate – Democrat and Republican, Libertarian and others associated with smaller parties – the same opportunity,” said Farah. “Our commitment to Dr. Carson does not imply an endorsement of his candidacy. It’s a commitment by WND to create a wide-ranging forum for the views of all serious presidential candidates – the more the merrier. Let a thousand flowers bloom.”
Presidential candidate interested in taking advantage of this unique opportunity to reach millions of voters with their ideas, views and values are encouraged to contact columns@wnd.com for more information about submitting both regular columns or occasional special commentaries.
Does Farah really think Hillary Clinton, the only declared candidate so far -- whom Farah has smeared as "a shrew, a harpy, a battle-ax" and earlier this week called "a monster, a predator, a serial victimizer" -- believes WND will give her the same "unadulterated" treatment Carson will get? How about Republican Marco Rubio, who WND accused of not being eligible to run for president while glossing over similar concerns regarding a candidate Farah loooooves, Ted Cruz?
Farah is making such an offer because he knows nobody except conservative Republicans and right-wing fringe candidates will take him up on it -- after all, they can count on WND treating them with kid gloves editorially and not neutralize that "unadulterated" message.
Farah simply has no interest in fair and ethical journalism. There's no reason for presidential candidates who don't hold the same right-wing views as Carson and Cruz to believe WND will actually give them the same "unadulterated" forum he has promised to Carson.
WND is damaged goods, but Farah and Carson don't seem to be aware of that fact.
