http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../512130343/1005
12/13/05 - Posted from the Daily Record newsroom
Newsweek's Fineman blasts Bob Woodward
Political reporter says famed journalist's mission has changed
BY NAVID IQBAL
DAILY RECORD
MADISON -- Howard Fineman, Newsweek's chief political correspondent, said Monday night in the first program of a Drew University lecture series, that Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward had become a "court stenographer" for the Bush administration.
Standing before a crowd of nearly 300, Fineman, said Woodward went from being an outsider "burning the beltway"with his investigative work in the 1970s Watergate scandal under President Nixon to being, " an official court stenographer of the Bush administration."
"He's a great reporter,"Fineman said of Woodward, "but he's become a great reporter of official history."
Woodward has been heavily criticized ever since it was reported that he had not revealed to his editors that he had information from official sources on the Valerie Plame leak until after a federal grand jury investigation began.
These days, the balance of power has shifted in favor of the government, said Fineman, who also is a contributor to several television news programs.
Fineman and the audience ranged over a variety of topics, but the first question an audience member asked him was what is perhaps on the forefront of many minds today: The war in Iraq.
Answering a question about why a particular story about the war was not picked up by more news outlets, Fineman said that many Ameri-can editors tend to think Americans care little about "foreign news."
"I think they are underestimating the American public," Fineman said.
Much of the rest of the discussion focused on the news media and journalists themselves.
"The news about news is really bad," Fineman said.
The Drew Forum lecture series, held at the Simon Forum and Athletic Center, features noteworthy speakers on themed subjects each year. This year's series, called "Today's News, Tomorrow's Agenda?," will follow with CBS anchor Bob Schieffer who will speak on April 19, 2006. Upcoming program will also feature musical performances in addition to speakers.