NYT’s Peter Baker Turns to Raytheon Board Member for Independent ‘Analysis’

November 10, 2021    Bookmark    https://thecolumn.substack.com/p/on-afghanistan-withdrawal-nyts-peter

To get around this problem, the New York Times, a few years ago, adopted a new halfway measure between “objective” reporting and the labeled opinion column called “analysis,” where its nominally straight reporters are allowed to blur the line and editorialize so long as they launder what is obviously their personal point of view through handpicked “experts.” Baker, clearly against the Afghanistan withdrawal, did just this, using the old Fox News “some say” formula, tweeting out his “analysis” and adding:

“While some argued for alternatives, Biden saw no middle ground in Afghanistan between ending the war or endless escalation.”

“Some” argued. But not Baker, who was born without politics or ideology, a man suspended outside of space-time, simply observing the ideological struggles of mere mortals from beyond our perceptible universe.

Adam Johnson