NPR watch III

Morning Edition today was hilarious. In a story pushing tax increases to pay for Katraina, by repealing some of Bush's earlier tax cuts, the reporter babe stated that Republican Tom "Delay said it would be a tax increase on the rich."

That's one of those snorters that you know isn't true. But I'll give NPR credit; they at least played the tape, and sure enough, what Delay said was it would be a "tax increase." Nothing about the rich at all.

How deep in are these people? Is the reason for press bias that they're simply stupid, that they have no idea what arguments other than their own are? Does it occur to them that defining "rich" is problematic, that taxes can only be paid, or cut, by or for people who pay taxes? And just as a matter of reporting basics, do they think it's good practice to add Democrat talking point emphasis to their stories, rather than just accurately report? Here they've documented not only their bias, but their unprofessionalism.

I heard this on the 5 a.m. hour but did not hear the similar segment on the next hour. I wonder if it's something that was "rough draft" and they took the liberty of editing out?