Matt Taibbi may be a contributing editor for Rolling Stone, but he knows what it’s like to struggle as a young journalist. Taibbi began his career in Russia, scraping by writing stories for tabloids and holding odd jobs. After taking the job at Rolling Stone, writing several books, and winning a National Magazine award, Taibbi had plenty of stories and life lessons to share with students and attendees of Perspectives 2012, The Raymond and Florence Witt Lecture Series.
Now a veteran of covering presidential elections, Taiibi has noticed changes in political journalism, especially with the relationship between reporters and the candidates they’re covering while on the campaign trail.
“There’s a tremendous sense of solidarity that develops between journalists and the politicians they’re covering in large part because of the proximity we all share. The campaign trail is like a flying prison,” he said.
According to Taibbi, the chummy relationship between politicians and journalists isn’t just because of the close shared space on campaign buses and airplanes, but also for the meals and other gifts journalists receive.
“It’s almost like the candidate was buying better coverage by feeding us,” he said.
Taibbi also detailed the hierarchy journalists faced while covering political elections.
“The campaign trail is a lot like high school. The cool kids sit on the front of the plane, and the dorks sit in the back. If you ask the wrong kind of questions, you’re sent to the back of the plane and don’t get access to the candidate,” he said.
According to Taiibi, two recent protest movements, Occupy Wall Street and The Tea Party, are influencing the political election.
“The unifying factor in both of these movements is dissatisfaction with the electoral process, an overwhelming feeling that it’s stage managed and too easily manipulated by special interests. Both movements strongly feel that the process no longer produces candidates that respond to their particular needs,” he said.
Taibbi, known for his aggressive writing style, was critical of the political process.
“We need politicians to eloquently explain how the world works, to educate us. But that’s exactly what they don’t do. Our candidates are in the business of projecting this simplistic view of reality for Americans,” he said.
“The political system puts loosely defined parameters on candidates. There are definitely messages about what acceptable politics is and what acceptable opinions are. You see that in which candidates are allowed to survive and which ones aren’t allowed to survive. If you’re not in the acceptable range, you’re kicked out,” he continued.
Though he has covered three presidential elections, this veteran of the campaign trail says he still hasn’t made it all the way up the political hierarchy.
“I’m not in the back of the bus anymore, but nobody talks to me,” he joked.
