The one high profile figure in the mainstream media who has for a long time been working to raise
the profile of the situation in Darfur is
Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times. Perhaps he’s the only reporter with compassion in the big end
of town…
But he’s been in a fight with the famous right wing stuffed shirt Bill O’Reilly, the Fox News anchor, who
called him a “left wing ideologue” as if, even if it were true, it changes how many people are starving. So
Mr Kristof asked him to go there and see for himself, and even offered to set up a pledge fund to finance
his trip.
Well now he’s collected
US$750,000 for the trip, from 6500 people, and points ot that this is plenty for Bill to go first class,
with a satellite phone so he can continue his day job (Darfur is clearly not part of his job with Fox news,
as it doesn’t help get Bush reelected) and put San Pellegrino in his water bottle.
O’Reilly says he can get stuffed, he’s not travelling anywhere with Kristof and anyway he’s go too much
work to do.