Observed

It’s not that crowdsourcing news doesn’t have its benefits.  Before it released its Afghan War Diary, however, Wikileaks first shoveled the unfiltered secret documents to three mainstream media — The New York Times, The Guardian and Der Spiegel.

Was it because the three papers have a reputation for leaning to the left and might, therefore, use the leaks to bash the war effort?  Maybe, though I hardly think opponents of the war need much help in that regard.

A more plausible explanation is that Wikileaks went to the MSM because that’s where the reporters are.  The ones who, by and large, make a living out of gathering, processing and synthesizing lots of information.

What is it about Frank Rich?  What could he possibly have to say about media and politics and public affairs?

Here’s a guy who has spent most of his career as a film and theatre critic.  A guy who studied American history and literature on his way to his bachelor’s degree.

Not a lawyer, scientist, engineer or big-thinking PhD.  Or any other vaunted professional with *hard* credentials.

Yet, I invite you to read his column in this morning’s New York Times.  Regardless of what you might think about his bias, I bet you’ll finish feeling more respect for Rich’s facility with hard issues.

Rich can navigate the vagaries of Gen. Stanley McChrystal and our war in Afghanistan as easily as the plays of Moss Hart and life in post-WWII New York City.  Rich is an embodiment of what we used to regard as a well-educated person.

Is that because he pursued a liberal arts education?  Probably not…or probably not just because he pursued a liberal arts education.

But it didn’t hurt.