After a session of yesterday’s Senate wiretap hearings, Paul Mirengoff of Power Line asked a couple of tough questions to Senators Edward Kennedy and Richard Durbin. Rather than answering the questions, Senator Durbin responded by asking who Mirengeroff was working for. Pajamas Media has the video, Stephen Spruiell has a transcript. I’d be remiss if I didn’t let the blogosphere know that not all elected officeholders share Senator Durbin’s attitude.
A few weeks ago, I attended a press briefing following Senator Lincoln Chafee’s meeting with Rhode Islanders for Judge Alito (here is the post that resulted). The “press pool” turned out to be rather small, a reporter from the Projo and myself.
I identified myself as being from a local political weblog called Anchor Rising. I am not sure if the Senator and his staff were familiar with Anchor Rising’s content, but whatever the answer, no one questioned my credentials or my right to be there and Senator Chafee answered the two questions I asked with the same seriousness he afforded the questions asked by the professional journalist in attendance.
I hope that more of our elected officials follow Senator Chafee’s example in this matter and find a way to welcome new media into the means they use to keep the public informed.