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She just got caught

Adam Radwanski, January 10, 2008 at 5:43 PM EDT

Following the lead of Conservative bloggers who've been driving this story - or at least trying to get someone else to pay attention to it - the National Post has worked itself into a tizzy over what will hereafter be known as Pablogate.

There's no denying, if you watched Brian Mulroney's appearance before the ethics committee, that something was not kosher with Pablo Rodriguez's line of questioning. Interrogating Mulroney on whether he'd had dealings with Stephen Harper on "the wireless spectrum issue," even if you set aside that Rodriguez recited his questions in English despite normally speaking French, came completely out of left field. It was exactly the sort of pointless diversion that the committee didn't need, and it certainly reflected poorly on someone. I'm just not so sure that someone was the CBC reporter who apparently suggested to Rodriguez that he ask it.

Okay, check that. For suggesting a really stupid question, the reporter deserves some flack. But for suggesting a question at all, she shouldn't get raked over the coals any more than a whole lot of other reporters.

As other bloggers I'm linking way too much to today have already pointed out, it's common practice for journalists to use MPs as they try to advance their stories. The difference, aside from the fact that Jean Lapierre doesn't normally pop up to call them on it, is that most MPs use better judgment than Rodriguez (or his Liberal bosses) used in this case. They don't normally ask the question in the reporter's words without bothering to frame it properly and put it in their own voice. And more importantly, they normally don't ask stupid, off-topic questions just because they think it'll get them some face time - they actually consider its merits.

It's fair to take issue with the entire practice of playing nice with opposition MPs. But it's not fair to single this particular journalist out just because her inappropriate question was somehow deemed appropriate by the Liberals. Rather than throwing this one hapless reporter under the bus, it might be worth considering the plight of a party so desperate for good play that if the media says jump it only asks how high.

  1. Go Oilers Go! from Canada writes: Pablo Rodriguez is nothing but a partisan hack and his line of questioning only highlights the fact the Liberals couldn't care less about the Mulroney/Schreiber affair.

    The only thing that interests the Liberals is trying to smear the reputation of the current gov't and score political points. They don't care what the issue is so long as they can tie Harper and the Conservatives to some kind of scandal.

    Pablo Rodriguez's performance is proof the Liberals have nothing to offer Canadians in terms of policy. They are desperate and grasping at straws.
  2. Steve Janke from Cambridge, Canada writes: "The only thing that interests the Liberals is trying to smear the reputation of the current gov't and score political points."

    That's rather the point, isn't it? If the question was written by a reporter, and offered up to the Liberals to ask under the powers of a parliamentary committee (perjury and such), then the question is really whether this reporter, who the CBC refuses to name, is only interested in smearing the reputation of the current government.

    That is a serious question to ask of any news organization, publicly funded or otherwise.
  3. diane marie from calgary, Canada writes: Apparently, some partisan Conservative posters can't read, but they can and do comment on what they either haven't either read or even considered. The only thing that interests any party in opposition is smearing the reputation of the current government and scoring political points. Mr. Harper, when he was leader of the opposition, took full advantage of that imperative - even taking to the Faux airwaves to do it. The question, as Mr. Radwanski suggests, is whether that particular question was sufficiently on topic to be asked under the circumstances (the committee's mandate).

    Adam:-- Your reasoning is always interesting but does the text have to read as if it were aimed at 17-year-olds?
  4. Hunteroffortune Alberta from Canada writes: The Puffins are trying to cover their dodo again. The reporter needs to be identified and the Liberals need to come clean about the collusion between the CBC and their party.

    Most importantly, the ETHICS committee has been compromised by this whole issue, it stinks. Who checks on the actions of the ethics committee?

    If it isn't an issue, why did Adam Radwanski blog about it?
  5. robert quinn from Japan writes: Diane Marie. I doubt you believe what you just wrote. "Smearing the reputation of the government," while certainly a boon for an opposition party, should be an incidental result of close scrutiny of ministerial performance or the exposure of fiduciary malfeasance. Not even the least worthy Liberal member of parliament would claim such was the only thing that motivates their presence on the Hill. There is a great deal of consituency work, committee duties, and various quotidian chores wherein M.P's of whatever party contribute to the generally smooth functioning of what is a rather distinguished and, by international standards, long-in-the-tooth democracy. They may have their peanut gallery moments, but a respectable opposition works to keep the serving government honest, and to offer alternative visions of how things might be better managed, no?
  6. look south stevie boy time to turn to plowshare lobbyists ? General Foods ? from Canada writes:

    ndp have not been elected as a government . elect them so they all can vacation with their five New York families . Lanskey had a better idea after Castro gave them the boot ?
  7. Bruce Gerrard from Toronto, Canada writes: Liberal Party of Canada / CBC - as they say in french, "Le Meme Chose"
  8. Kirk MacLeod from Canada writes: What Kinsella, Wells and company forget to mention is that The National Post, the Toronto Star, CTV etc are privately owned while the CBC is a crown corporation. Therefore if the Post or The Star take part in dealings which compromise journalistic integrity than their subscribers can hold them to account. But the CBC faces no such scrutiny because it is funded by the taxpayers of this country. Therefore it damn well better make the effort of appearing unbiased and above board.
  9. pierre lefebvre from Brossard, Canada writes: Promiscuity between journalists and politicians appears to belong to lobbying influence. It seems to yield poor judgment on both parties at critical times.
  10. Mike R from Canada writes: I find it telling that other journalists are bending over backwards to protect their (fallen?) colleague with a simple line of reasoning...everyone does it and it has always been that way.

    I really do wish there was some kind of meaningful code of professional conduct and, if journalists thought about it for a minute, they should agree. But, they won't think about it for a minute. At least that is the evidence to date.
  11. MJ M from Canada writes: Kirk Mcleod is right, this is only an issue because the "reporter" is a civil servant in the employ of the CBC. If she worked for CTV or Global, no problem. Still a pretty slaezy stupid thing for the LIEberals to do.

    The only thing of value that CBC produces that is worth watching or recognized anywhere outside as being top shelf is Hockey. I believe that the CBC should NOT be subsidized in any way, they should be treated the same as PBS is in the US, then the handfull of people that watch anything other than HNIC, can pay for it themselves. CBC would soon realize that the drivel they broadcast 162 hours a week has no market. The other way to go would be for TSN or CTV to hire the fantastic camera crews that work for HNIC then we could just cut it loose completely.
  12. Steve D from St. John's, Canada writes: diane marie from calgary, Canada writes: "Apparently, some partisan Conservative posters can't read, but they can and do comment on what they either haven't either read or even considered. The only thing that interests any party in opposition is smearing the reputation of the current government and scoring political points."

    We expect the smearing and attempts at point scoring against the Conservatives from the Liberals but... well, actually we expect it from the CBC as well don't we? I guess the point is that we shouldn't expect it from the CBC.

    Rex Murphy's homage to Dion last night (to sum up--Dion's incompetence, lack of leadership, schleprockitude, and incomprehensibility are actually virtues!) shows the depths of how the pro-Liberalism has permeated that dung-heap of an institution. Aside from HNIC and Coronation Street, it is completely worthless. Did I mention the G&M is just as bad?
  13. Blue Magic ...... from Canada writes: "Everybody does it", Adam and Wells say ha,ha,ha, wow, you know you have no argument when you resort to this. justifying bad behavior by pointing to other bad behavior , and your an editorial writter?

    Wow, Kinsella,Wells and Radiwanski all with the same mesage as Cherniak, yup no liberal connection here.

    Adam, how can you justifying bad behavior by pointing to other bad behavior?

    Nevermind my tax money go to this crap. At least I can not buy the post,Globe,Star but I still have to pay for the CBC liberal media.

    Anyway good read, It is nice to know you think this justified b/c people have done it before.
  14. R. M. from Regina, Canada writes: The media are always blameless eh Adam???
  15. Alistair McLaughlin from Canada writes: I'd have to agree, Pablo Rodriguez is the one who should be wearing the goat horns in this thing. We should be grateful that his incompetence was in full display for all to see when he mindlessly repeated the question of a CBC reporter looking for a story. (Plus he needs a haircut.) Yes, the bias of the CBC is also an issue. I long ago tired of their stacked "town hall" meetings where supposedly average citizens spoke of how "frightened" they were of the Reformers or Alliance or Conservatives. A reporter suggesting questions to an MP is peanuts compared to the blatantly manipulative and dishonest "town hall" open mic gabfests that have been a staple of CBC election coverage for years. Pablo, on the other hand, looks like a real tool in all this.
  16. A READER from TORONTO, Canada writes: Why is it a problem for a citizen to suggest questions to an MP? It's unfortunate that the question was out of the scope of the current committee hearings.
  17. pierre lefebvre from Brossard, Canada writes: Rodriguez and Dion messages are on the same wave length. The problem is that no one else can decipher its true content. The LPC messenger fails to show a clear vision and direction. Dion in next general election it will end up with LPC extinction in several parts of Canada. What a nerd yet professor of Political Sciences by training. A misfit manages the future of LPC nowadays. Where is the promised land?

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