What the Vachss?

The maxim goes: "Journalism is what maintains democracy" (Andrew Vachss). Sadly, what may be true about journalism as an institution cannot be said about journalists themselves.

Reporting on Sen. Barack Obama's speech in Chicago to an audience of minority journalists, the Honolulu Star Bulletin describes the following:

When Obama walked on stage at the McCormick Center, many journalists in the audience leapt to their feet and applauded enthusiastically after being told not to do so. During a two-minute break halfway through the event, which was broadcast live on CNN, journalists ran to the stage to snap photos of Obama. ... Obama, who acknowledged that he needed a nap, stood up to say farewell to the audience of journalists, many of whom gave him another standing ovation. [Emphases added]

Whatever happened to journalists (at least) affecting an appearance of objectivity? Whence comes this bald disregard for journalistic integrity (soon to become an oxymoron)? As a journalist myself, I and my colleagues are discouraged by our superiors from displaying signs in our yards that express any support for any political candidate. Where are the superiors of these Obama Groupies, and what would they think of the fanatic behavior of their staff?

It appears that a climate of unabashed boldness has emerged in journalism, in which Chris Matthews can openly say that an Obama speech made his leg tingle. While journalism may indeed be needed to maintain democracy, it seems to me that it was a different breed of journalist that Andrew Vachss had in mind when he uttered his famous quote.