AP's Jennifer Loven: Living in a Glass House

Today, Editor & Publisher examines whether Associated Press writer Jennifer Loven was biased in a recent piece, which criticized President Bush of using "straw man" arguments by failing to identify critics in his speeches:

When the president starts a sentence with "some say" or offers up what "some in Washington" believe, as he is doing more often these days, a rhetorical retort almost assuredly follows.

Editor & Publisher examines the controversy that erupted because this obvious attack article was carried as a news story, rather than an opinion piece.

The Dread Pundit Bluto however, would like to know if Ms. Loven practices what she preaches. Sadly, she does not. Jennifer Loven regularly uses the anonymous "some" device to add ersatz authority to points she wishes to emphasize.

I've added emphasis to the following excerpts from Loven's back pages, obtained during a less than exhaustive perusal of her recent work:

From Brocktown News:

Despite the weeks of reprisal killings that have some saying Iraq is at the brink of civil war...

From The Kindred Times:

...and from some conservative Republicans as an overly costly expansion of government.

From Ely Times & County:

Critics take issue with the president‘s insistence...

And, for good measure, let's throw in an anonymous source:

From Forbes:

...said a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the diplomatic situation.

I find a reporter padding her news stories with unidentified and possibly imaginary corroboration much more disturbing and insidious than I do a politician failing to identify critics while making a speech.