The Daily Howler
Encyclopedia
The Daily Howler is an American political blog
written by Bob Somerby. It was perhaps the first major political blog, started in 1998. The style is by turns earnest and sarcastic. Somerby criticizes what he considers the media's frequently biased or lazy coverage. In his view, the media frequently latch on to a generally agreed "script" with little regard for facts that contradict the script. For instance, in the runup to the US 2000 election it was frequently said or assumed that Gore
was untruthful, but Somerby shows that much of what supposedly underlay that script was in fact untrue, misrepresented or greatly exaggerated. He also argues that the media frequently ignore substantive issues and concentrate on trivial ones instead (in the 2000 presidential election, for example, professing bewilderment in response to the candidates' budget proposals while writing repeatedly and at length about irrelevant issues such as Gore's choice of clothes, or in 2006 writing articles about Barack Obama
's middle name.) Despite being left of center
in his politics, Somerby also critiques liberals
in the U.S. mainstream media who he feels do poor journalism, like Rachel Maddow
and Keith Olbermann
, both of MSNBC
.
The Daily Howler critiques education writing, often by analyzing badly-reported data on scholastic achievement in low income or minority populations. For example, Somerby dissected a 2005 PBS
"feel good" documentary Making Schools Work that touted the achievements in a low-income school district, showing that the showcased test score gains were neither remarkable (they were similar to average statewide score increases) nor indicative of large achievement (as evidenced by NAEP
national tests). On the other hand, economist Robert Samuelson
supported a claim that public schools have made minimal progress since 1970 by using aggregated NAEP statistics that hid the spectacular multiple grade-level increases in the achievement levels of African American students. Similarly, a Washington Post article turned Maryland's twelfth-in-the-nation average eighth-grade math score into "last among the 50 states" by looking at differences rather than absolute numbers. Among other frequent education themes, Somerby criticizes reporting on Teach For America
and what he calls "high-minded" punditry.
In Jan, 2010 Somerby started a companion blog How He Got There where he is posting a book on the 2000 US presidential election piece-by-piece as he writes it.
Bob Somerby is also a professional stand up comic. He has appeared on Larry King Live
, with Bill Maher
, Bill O'Reilly
and with Brian Lamb
on C-Span
. In college at Harvard, he was roommates with the actor Tommy Lee Jones
and former Vice President Al Gore
. After college he taught for twelve years in Baltimore
public elementary schools.
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
written by Bob Somerby. It was perhaps the first major political blog, started in 1998. The style is by turns earnest and sarcastic. Somerby criticizes what he considers the media's frequently biased or lazy coverage. In his view, the media frequently latch on to a generally agreed "script" with little regard for facts that contradict the script. For instance, in the runup to the US 2000 election it was frequently said or assumed that Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
was untruthful, but Somerby shows that much of what supposedly underlay that script was in fact untrue, misrepresented or greatly exaggerated. He also argues that the media frequently ignore substantive issues and concentrate on trivial ones instead (in the 2000 presidential election, for example, professing bewilderment in response to the candidates' budget proposals while writing repeatedly and at length about irrelevant issues such as Gore's choice of clothes, or in 2006 writing articles about Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's middle name.) Despite being left of center
Left of Center
Left of Center was a College rock/Indie rock radio station on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 26 and Dish Network channel 6026. It was replaced by Sirius XMU as part of the Sirius/XM merger of channels on November 12, 2008...
in his politics, Somerby also critiques liberals
Social liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
in the U.S. mainstream media who he feels do poor journalism, like Rachel Maddow
Rachel Maddow
Rachel Anne Maddow is an American television host and political commentator. Maddow hosts a nightly television show, The Rachel Maddow Show, on MSNBC. Her syndicated talk radio program, The Rachel Maddow Show, aired on Air America Radio...
and Keith Olbermann
Keith Olbermann
Keith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
, both of MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
.
The Daily Howler critiques education writing, often by analyzing badly-reported data on scholastic achievement in low income or minority populations. For example, Somerby dissected a 2005 PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
"feel good" documentary Making Schools Work that touted the achievements in a low-income school district, showing that the showcased test score gains were neither remarkable (they were similar to average statewide score increases) nor indicative of large achievement (as evidenced by NAEP
National Assessment of Educational Progress
The National Assessment of Educational Progress is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what our nation’s students know and can do in core subjects. NAEP is a congressionally mandated project administered by the National Center for Education Statistics , within the ...
national tests). On the other hand, economist Robert Samuelson
Robert J. Samuelson
Robert Jacob Samuelson is a contributing editor of Newsweek and The Washington Post where he has written about business and economic issues since 1977. His columns appear in both publications. His articles also appear in the Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, and other influential newspapers...
supported a claim that public schools have made minimal progress since 1970 by using aggregated NAEP statistics that hid the spectacular multiple grade-level increases in the achievement levels of African American students. Similarly, a Washington Post article turned Maryland's twelfth-in-the-nation average eighth-grade math score into "last among the 50 states" by looking at differences rather than absolute numbers. Among other frequent education themes, Somerby criticizes reporting on Teach For America
Teach For America
Teach For America is an American non-profit organization that aims to eliminate educational inequity by enlisting the nation's most promising future leaders to teach for two or more years in low-income communities throughout the United States...
and what he calls "high-minded" punditry.
In Jan, 2010 Somerby started a companion blog How He Got There where he is posting a book on the 2000 US presidential election piece-by-piece as he writes it.
Bob Somerby is also a professional stand up comic. He has appeared on Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
, with Bill Maher
Bill Maher
William "Bill" Maher, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, television host, political commentator, author and actor. Before his current role as the host of HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher hosted a similar late-night talk show called Politically Incorrect originally on Comedy Central and...
, Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
and with Brian Lamb
Brian Lamb
Brian Patrick Lamb is the founder and chief executive officer of C-SPAN, a television network dedicated to coverage of government proceedings and public affairs. Born and raised in Lafayette, Indiana, Lamb earned a degree from Purdue University before joining the United States Navy...
on C-Span
C-SPAN
C-SPAN , an acronym for Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network, is an American cable television network that offers coverage of federal government proceedings and other public affairs programming via its three television channels , one radio station and a group of websites that provide streaming...
. In college at Harvard, he was roommates with the actor Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....
and former Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
. After college he taught for twelve years in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
public elementary schools.
Commentary
- From a Columbia Journalism ReviewColumbia Journalism ReviewThe Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
article: Bob Somerby needs no introduction, of course, unless your days are spent solely in the brick-and-mortar world... - Paul KrugmanPaul KrugmanPaul Robin Krugman is an American economist, professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, Centenary Professor at the London School of Economics, and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times...
opened one of his op-eds for the New York Times as follows:
- From a Virginian-Pilot editorial writer: ...his persistent needling made something of a splash in state education circles last week. ... What he’s discovered about the way Virginia calculates school accreditation ratings ought to be far more broadly understood.
External links
- DailyHowler.blogspot.com Current web site
- DailyHowler.com Archives (1998 through Sept 2, 2011)
- "What do we mean when we talk about scripts?"