The latest TIME includes a piece from Charles Krauthammer calling the most recent National Intelligence Estimate of Iran’s nuclear program “moderately encouraging.”
In the print magazine, the piece is labeled “Viewpoint.” That makes sense. It’s an opinion piece.
What’s disturbing is that Krauthammer’s one-page editorial follows a five-page editorial by Joe Klein that’s presented as “news.” How can you tell Klein’s work is just as much a “viewpoint” piece as Krauthammer’s? Take the last two paragraphs:
The NIE represented another promising opportunity missed. Imagine if
the President had said, “This report means we don’t want war. We want
to talk, and everything ? including lifting of the economic sanctions
and our acknowledgment that you are a major regional power ? is on the
table so long as you put everything on the table too. That means not
only your uranium-enrichment program but also your support for
terrorist organizations.” How could Iran have said no to that?
But that would have required some other President. This President
appears to lack the desire, creativity and patience to engage in the
most important diplomacy that a nation can face ? with its enemies ?
over issues that could mean the difference between war and peace.
No facts ? just the writer’s opinions. I have no problem with TIME showcasing Joe Klein’s opinions. I have no problem with Klein getting more column inches than Krauthammer. I do have a problem with TIME pretending that Klein’s article is something other than a “viewpoint” editorial.
