We've got a new genre of "hypocrisy journalism," courtesy of the Washington Post:
A Washington Post journalist on the scene confirmed the first lady, who’s made a cause out of child nutrition, ordered a ShackBurger, fries, chocolate shake and a Diet Coke while the street and sidewalk in front of the usually-packed Shake Shack were closed by security during her visit.
According to nutritional information on Shake Shack's Web site, the meal amounted to 1,556 calories.
Obama, who launched the “Let's Move” campaign to combat childhood obesity last year, has previously admitted to having an “obsession with french fries,” which she says are fine to indulge in occasionally. “It's all about moderation,” Obama told reporters.
On the scene! Yes, this is incredibly dumb--but it's a symptom of a journalistic culture that values catching a political figure in an act of hypocrisy far more valuable than evaluating the impact of their actual political views. The former, as Jay Rosen might put it, allows the reporter to maintain "innocence" because they're attacking a pol for a nonideological sin, while dealing with the facts of policymaking might actually force a reporter into "taking a side" on whose version of reality more closely resembles planet Earth.
Now if you're wondering why the Post was so eager to get this up, you can check out the uninhibited right wing id over here at Fox Nation. Nothing traffics like loathing.
