Beautiful.
Instapundit Glenn Reynolds has a fantastic column up at The New York Post today.
https://twitter.com/instapundit/status/354216626511548418
Who’s a journalist? – http://t.co/FuSzYtQ4Ba http://t.co/3VkiRCwXBe – you just can't make this stuff up. Once a dick, always a dick.
— Kicking Ass and Taken Names (@TN_SillyMan) July 8, 2013
Heh. As Twitchy reported, Sen. Dick Durbin recently told bloggers they need not apply for the same protections as journalists. He repeated that jackassery last week in the Chicago Sun-Times. “Just bloggers” aren’t “real journalists,” you see. He blathered on with such astute insight as a “real journalist” would get a paycheck from a media organization.
The Constitution is selective, apparently. Sen. Durbin believes that he gets to decide who is worthy enough for constitutional protection. Frightening.
Where @instapundit says that govt doesn't get to dictate who is or isn't a journalist worthy of the first amendment. http://t.co/gxIqUonrkm
— Razor (@hale_razor) July 8, 2013
Glenn Reynolds gave him the business gloriously. Here is just a taste from his excellent column:
The ability to publish inexpensively, and to reach potentially millions of people in seconds, has made it possible for people who’d never be able to — or even want to — be hired by the institutional press to nonetheless publish and influence the world, much like 18th century pamphleteers.
…
Durbin’s pontifications about who’s entitled to press freedom were uttered in the course of promoting a federal “shield law” that would allow those “real” journalists to conceal their sources. I oppose such laws in general, but to the extent that they exist, they should protect everyone who’s doing journalism, regardless of where their paycheck comes from.
I wouldn’t trust Durbin (or most of his Senate colleagues) to baby-sit my kid. I certainly don’t trust them to decide who counts as a “real” journalist — and, more importantly, who doesn’t.
Recommended
Bam. Reynolds offered up recent examples of huge scoops that did not come from what Sen. Durbin would call “real journalists.” Bingo! Twitchy has said this before and we’ll say it again:
It is often “just bloggers” who do the jobs that many in the media refuse to do. But, they can’t be bought off by glazed donuts, lame photo montage jokes or a “charm offensive,” can they?
Reynolds also called out Durbin for being a constitutional ignoramus. Of course, Durbin has spent far too much time in the Better Than You beltway bubble.
Twitter users rightly heaped on the praise:
Don't let politicians decide who counts as a "real" journalist, @instapundit urges – http://t.co/npF7S7rU1n
— Larry Akey (@LarryAkey) July 8, 2013
"I wouldn’t trust Durbin…to baby-sit my kid".Who’s a journalist? – http://t.co/YYV7SLJ3K1 http://t.co/cPWa8TxmO0 via @nypost @instapundit
— James McEldowney (@jamesmceldowney) July 8, 2013
Who’s a journalist? http://t.co/qpfyh0cP5A Great discussion topic for #medialiteracy and all First Amendment lovers
— Julie Nilsson Smith (@julnilsmith) July 8, 2013
#WarOnMyKids-Their right to participate in a "free press" @instapundit: Who's a journalist? My NY Post column: http://t.co/SOIbmiQYdl"
— Nancy (@TheFirstNancy) July 8, 2013
https://twitter.com/AmberBarno/status/354231207476736000
@instapundit is spot on about what constitutes a journalist – includes unpaid. #tcot #azright http://t.co/cL4Xs4nngr
— Rachel Alexander (@Rach_IC) July 8, 2013
@RichardGrenell @NYPostOpinion @instapundit Excellent
— Bonzai (@bonzaiblog) July 8, 2013
https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/354217667583938562
Brilliant indeed. Read the whole thing.
If anyone is in dire need of an Insta-schooling, it is Sen. Durbin.
Related:
Sen. Dick Durbin pulls the ‘real journalist’ card: Protection? ‘Just bloggers’ need not apply
Twittersphere helps restore @Instapundit to Instapundit Glenn Reynolds, but all followers lost
#RespondTwitter hashtag aims to restore @Instapundit name to Glenn Reynolds; Update: Restored!
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