CAUGHT IN THE ACT – AT 9:10 A.M. ET:  The news organization involved probably overreacted by firing a man, when a reprimand would have been more fair, but this shows the everyday bias that infects the mainstream media.  From Fox:

Yahoo News' Washington bureau chief was fired Wednesday after he was caught on a hot mic joking that Republicans are "happy to have a party" while black people drown.

The comment was made by David Chalian during live coverage of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, and was an apparent reference to the convention getting underway while a tropical storm-turned-hurricane barreled toward the Gulf Coast.

"They are happy to have a party with black people drowning," said a voice off-camera, later identified as Chalian, as video of the Romneys played on screen. Other people could be heard laughing at the comment.
A Yahoo! spokesperson confirmed to FoxNews.com that Chalian was let go, and said the company has apologized to Romney and his staff.

"David Chalian's statement was inappropriate and does not represent the views of Yahoo!. He has been terminated effective immediately. We have already reached out to the Romney campaign, and we apologize to Mitt Romney, his staff, their supporters and anyone who was offended," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Chalian posted his own apology later Wednedsay on Twitter: "I am profoundly sorry for making an inappropriate and thoughtless joke."

COMMENT:  Now would be a good time for a gracious gesture by Mitt Romney.  He should make public note of the event, and of Chalian's dismissal.  He should give a brief talk about press bias and what it does to a democracy.  Then he should note Chalian's apology, invoke the Judeo-Christian ethic, and ask that Chalian be reinstated, having been chastised.  That would be the big thing to do.

Oh, by the way, Chalian naturally did have his defenders, among them the utterly insufferable Gwen Ifill, one of the most biased "journalists" in the craft.  She twittered, "One mistake does not change this. @DavidChalian is God's gift to political journalism. #IStandwithDavid"

And we stand with those who believe it's time for PBS, Ifill's employer, to show her the joys of retirement.  She has turned one of its flagship shows, "Washington Week," into a farce.  But nobody will say a word. 

August 30, 2012