Is Twitter Making Reporters Lazy?

As far as I can tell, the primary source for this CNN story is . . . a bunch of tweets from random Twitter users:

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown apologized "profusely" on Wednesday after he was caught on microphone describing a woman who spoke to him on the election campaign trail as "bigoted."

. . .

One Twitter user, Thermalsocks, said: "Gordon Brown has created a total survailance society. Glad to see he got caught out, now he knows how we all feel."

Another user, urbantaoist85, said: "Anyone else up for making all politicians wear a microphone at all times?" Ririnyan added: "I wonder if that was the final nail in the coffin for Labour this time." Andy_Francis said: "I think GB has just kissed goodbye to any chances Labour had left."

However CupCate wrote: "I'd be more concerned if Brown had said, "What that brilliant woman said about all those damn immigrants, too right!"

. . .

But one Twitter user, SusanCalman, spoke for many when she said: "I feel sorry for Gordon Brown. If people I've met knew half the things I'd said about them when I left I would be stabbed and left for dead."

How has this become an acceptable method of reporting on overseas elections?

Update: Here is Andrew Sullivan's (non-Twitter) analysis:

Gillian Duffy is a life-long Labour voter. She doesn't like being called a racist because she worries about immigrants; she's fed up with the welfare state rewarding, as she sees it, the unworthy; she's working class; she's not alone. This is Brown's base. He has essentially attacked his own base in the most condescending two-faced manner possible, on a live microphone, on every broadcast. Imagine if Obama's gaffe about "clinging to guns and religion" had been uttered by John McCain, about his own base. With a week to go.

Are Black Republicans 'Sellouts'?

CNN's Roland Martin defends black Republicans against charges that they are traitors to their race:

As someone who has voted for Democrats, Republicans and independents, I’m focused on the issues.

. . .

Listening to one another and making a determination on what a person is saying, as opposed to depending on labels, is vital. So I would hope that black voters in Texas actually listen to Michael Williams, chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, as he campaigns as a Republican for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. He deserves an audience, just like anyone else.

It's a shame that CNN is getting destroyed in the ratings by its partisan rivals, Fox News and MSNBC. CNN really is the superior cable news network, and it has the most sensible commentators.

Carrie Prejean

I'm ashamed of myself for watching this, but it's kind of fascinating.

I hate to be so mean, but Carrie Prejean has to be among the dumbest people I've ever seen on television.