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Quote 301 of 521

Here is an important new development in the Washington press corps'
perceptions game. Often in the past, when chasing some alleged
miscreant, the press has brushed aside the question of what exactly is
wrong with the explanation that the situation creates the perception
of impropriety. We thereby avoid the tiresome issue of whether
anything improper actually has occurred. (The trick works both ways:
Actual miscreants confess to having created an appearance of
impropriety, thus sidestepping the little matter of impropriety
itself.) Since the press itself largely creates the perception with
its coverage, justifying the coverage on the basis of the perception
is a convenient form of circular reasoning.

Never before, though (to our knowledge), has a public figure been
found guilty of committing a perception when the perception is
demonstrably untrue. Until now there had to be at least a possibility
that the perception of impropriety might some day molt into hard
evidence of actual impropriety. In this case, that possibility doesn't
exist. Undoubtedly there are folks who will continue to insist,
against all evidence, that Clinton sold entry to Arlington. But those
who take the isn't-this-just-typical line are doing so precisely
because, although they think it's typical, they accept that it isn't
true. Apparently that doesn't matter anymore--as long as it's typical,
or arguably typical. So boo to Clinton, no need to apologize, and no
need to worry about being the conduit for any faintly plausible bit of
poison his critics may be dispensing.

Like all journalists, we at <cite>Slate</cite> have longed for the day
when "might be true" is accepted as the standard for our trade. Never
in our most idealistic moments did we dare hope for a standard of
"might be true--even though it isn't." Like a starving man standing
before the bounty of ... oh, say, the Microsoft cafeteria (check out
the vegetable stir-fry), we hardly know where to begin (don't miss
those Rice Krispies squares!).

Michael Kinsley
		   http://slate.msn.com/id/2214/

Tags: appearanceofimpropriety importantnewdevelopment typicalline washingtonpresscorps circularreasoning miscreant miscreants hardevidence molt cafeteria perception perceptions slate poison journalists lt microsoft game