Muckraking

Journalists are as a class not necessarily noted for having long historical memories, but the Louisville Courier Journal shows an uncommon level of amnesia in an editorial that claims that U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell "pioneered political slash-and-burn."

Pioneered? Yes, of course. There were no negative campaigns before Sen. McConnell came on the scene.

Of course, the senator has been noted for running rough campaigns, and the newspaper is free to complain about it on its editorial page. However, in addition to the above hyperbole, the newspaper also ran a picture along with its editorial that is classless and over the top. It is a picture of Jaws with mouth gaping that appears over the words, "McConnell in action."