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Topic: Politics & Policy     Department: Letters

A press of pessimists

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A very timely article (HCN, 10/17/11, "Obama jam"). The Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism released a study this week showing unrelenting negative coverage of President Obama by the press. Though the context is the political race, the data is culled from thousands of sources mostly dealing with the day-to-day business of the executive branch.

It's no wonder that poor scientists need to be leery when talking to the press. Chances are that the press is trying to write one more negative story and looking for a quote to go with it. This administration has done fairly well environmentally, but the only way I'd see that is by going directly to government websites - and I do, simply because there is so much information there.

As a reader, I look to be informed as well as entertained. I appreciate seeing a different angle on an issue or coming to a more complete understanding. If I get that without a money quote from the Assistant Secretary of Money Quotes, well, so be it.

Robb Cadwell
Erie, Colorado

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