‘All the news that fits, we print’

A New York Times slogan in the 19th century was, “It does not soil the breakfast cloth.” A Times slogan in the 20th century was, “All the news that’s fit to print.” Skeptics sarcastically rewrote the latter to read, “All the news that fits, we print”—and the revision certainly seems true in light of the Times’ decision to print stories about Donald Trump’s tax returns.

I’m in favor of letting voters see the tax returns, medical records, and emails of presidential candidates. We need as much information as we can have about people seeking immense power. But the Media Research Center (MRC) yesterday pointed out the “blatant hypocrisy” of the Times’ publishing decisions.

The Media Research Center yesterday pointed out the “blatant hypocrisy” of the Times’ publishing decisions.

Two important pieces of information: First, as The Washington Post reported, the Times appears to have published Trump’s tax information illegally. Secondly, the Times in 2009 refused to publish emails showing how the left was lying to the public about climate change. Its reason: “ClimateGate” emails were “acquired illegally and contain all manner of private information and statements that were never intended for the public eye, so they won’t be posted here.”

MRC President Brent Bozell said the Times “made a public editorial decision not to publish private emails exposing the ClimateGate lies because they damaged their leftwing political agenda. But here they are all too happy to publish private tax return information of a GOP candidate—in possible violation of state and/or federal law—because it advances their leftwing political agenda.”

Bozell prodded Times editors to explain this apparent double standard: “If they remain silent, this will be just another example of the Times conveniently jettisoning journalistic standards when doing so would harm Republicans. If the Times is to retain any integrity in its newsroom, they must stop aiding and abetting the Clinton campaign. Sadly, no one expects that to happen.”