There’s been a fascinating discussion online regarding John Kerry’s Vietnam war record statements vis a vis the media’s attention to President Bush’s Vietnam era National Guard service (Note: I’m no fan of either one). The story illustrates, however, the terrible condition of many major media organizations.
I always thought the purpose of news organizations was to inform (perhaps that’s an idealistic approach) the thinking public. Thank God for the internet, and our ability to route around these outages (the first blogger, Dave Winer, started largely because the tech press infrequently got things right).

• Instapundit – where the story started. Reynolds follows up with a useful strategy for Kerry.
• Investor’s Business Daily Editorial
  

  “The bias is pervasive. As the Media Research Center, a media watchdog, pointed out, ABC, CBS and NBC did 75 stories on charges Bush was “AWOL” from the National Guard. They did nine on claims Kerry fibbed about his war record. Biased might be too kind a description.”

• Powerline, on the Minneapolis Star Tribune Editorial Process
• Jon Lauck, on the largest South Dakota Newspaper’s approach.
• Newspaper circulation problems
• Michael Barone

Ed Cone pens a timely column on our deteriorating level of political discourse.
Another useful perspective: Jason Zengerle on the state of the George W. Bush joke.
UPDATE: This link has been passed around a bit. It’s interesting to see who is having a look.