More on Journalistic Integrity...

Sources and inspirations for this week's 'toon:

• Check out two excellent columns by Matt Taibbi on the right-wing media's formula of "fear, titillation, and self-loathing," and on the conspicuous lack of any legal consequences for their pseudo-journalistic hate speech. See also a post by Glenn Greenwald on right-wing pundits as the world's foremost experts on "what Americans want."


• Robert Parry and Eric Boehlert on the right-wing media's Obama preoccupation, and some unfortunate news for Fox News as their ratings begin to plummet (See this? It's the world's smallest violin playing just for them).


• Satta Sarmah on "The Cowardly Wolf," and Media Matters on CNN's eager-to-please attitude on White House talking points.
  
  See also Michelle Pilecki on another poor excuse for an interview, NPR's Juan Williams with President Lunkhead.


• In case you had any doubt, Molly Ivins was a "swan." Check out a couple of her older terrific columns on Rush Limbaugh's misuse of satire and the Bush administration's treatment of the media.
  
  Matthew Rothschild has a collection of her greatest quotes (my favorite: "The only thing to do is fight harder and smarter."). See also tributes from Paul Krugman and The Nation.