MSM gets a C- on Boehner coverage

Political junkies saw the election of Ohio's John Boehner to replace Tom DeLay as a pretty clear sign that the GOP isn't going to be changing its money-grubbing ways any time soon. The best thing you could say about Boehner is "at least he's not as bad as Blunt." The most egregious example of Boehner's love of lobbyist lucre was his walk around the House floor just before a vote on big tobacco-- he was handing out checks written by tobacco lobbyists. But he has a lengthy history of accepting big bucks from lobbyists, and being right at home in their company (Media Matters provides many examples).

But the media has decided to portray Boehner as some sort of bold split from the corrupt establishment. Without any mention of the readily-available evidence that he's just another Republican bagman. Do journalists actually need to be taught how to use LexisNexis? It's easier than ever to journamalize, but this is what they call news.

And in my ongoing effort to validate my Snap-On Hair Theorem of GOP corruption, I'd like to point out that Boehner fits the bill, right alongside Santorum and DeLay.

UPDATE: Mother Jones has some more of the poop on Boehner-- his abyssmal voting record. Fundamentalists love him, while groups that advocate health care, education, and civil rights think he's a tool. What a shocker.