This is News?

In the "this is news?" category tonight, I submit the lead story on all the network and cable networks tonight. Let's review it as reported by CBS:

Bob Schieffer introduced Wednesday's CBS Evening News by using loaded language as he pointed out how, “to protest the President's decision to continue spying on American citizens, a federal judge took the unprecedented step of resigning from the court that issues warrants in such cases,”

Really now. This is the state of mainstream journalism today?

First of all, it is of course loaded language. According to the totality of news reports on the topic the judge did not officially announce a reason for his resignation. Would you get that from Scheiffer's phrasing "to protest the President's decision..."? Of course not. That phrasing was loaded and agenda driven.

So, if the judge did not announce an official reason, how did Schieffer know the reason. Again, from reading multiple sources I learned that this was deduced from remarks that the judge made in private conversations. Really now! Is that the standard of reporting a lead story on network news now? CBS News is reporting rumors about private remarks as factual news now?

Finally, why is this news? Is it news that one Clinton appointee has a philosophical difference of opinion with President Bush? One judge out of 11 resigns and that is news? No, it is not.

If it were news, the accurate headline would be "10 out of 11 judges are not offended by the President's actions."