If love is the top of psychological

triangle and the basis of all human motivations, then sex and money are

at the top when it comes to the nightly news. In pre-9/11 days, the Chandra

Levy story headlined the news for weeks and weeks. At its heart it was

a sex story: Did "she" and "he" do it?

Many have noted that the Chandra

Levy scandal was the touchstone, the low point, of news reporting for

its generation. Many called "then" the age of irony, noting

that before we had events worthy of real reporting, we HAD to dwell on

such contrivances. Now, nearly half a year after Sept. 11, we have come

full circle. It's not about sex this time though. It's about money. It's

called Enron.

At their heart, the stories

of Chandra Levy and Enron are identical. They are lamentable, counterfeit,

news. They are insubstantial bookends to the most significant event in

our generation's history. They are powered by everything that real news

is not. These stories are driven by the lies that Tom Brokaw tells us.

Lie #1. "We the News,

Know What's Important." While watching the terroristic acts through

our national news services, we were discovering truth; truth about the

deeds of evil people, truth about the events, and truth about ourselves.

In somber, almost chilling ways we were told the simple facts.

To look at "Chandron"

(The Chandra Levy and Enron stories merged) the facts are apparent, it's

the details that aren't. The details may never be known and that's what

sells the news. Peter Jennings is keeping this shell game going as long

as possible trying to convince us the magic is in the magic, not the truth.

Thus, hours and hours are spent

each day, trying to get at the details, like they will change the story.

The facts concern people. It's the details that are about sex and money

and that's what keeps us coming back for more.

These stories are old news

a week after they make headlines. It's what the news services do that's

sad. It's no less macabre than if you took a person who recently died

and dressed him up in different outfits over and over. "Hey look,

it's grandpa in a really nice tuxedo... How does he look now in a golf

shirt and Chinos?" It wouldn't really matter if you dressed him in

John Travolta's white disco suit, grandpa is dead and all the decoration

in the world is not going to change that. Yet, we continue to watch day

and night.

Lie #2. "We the News,

are Objective." Connie Chung is gonna tell you that her objectivity

and unprejudiced knowledge of the story is what's important. This principle

could be likened to that of a heroin pusher who says he has no opinion

on drug addiction. But when it comes to you buying a hit of smack, I have

a feeling he'll ask for the sale.

Frankly, we should want our

news people to have an opinion. It's called a belief in what's right.

I understand all the mumbo jumbo over the newsperson's need for objectivity,

but there comes a time when other ideals supersede this. It's fine for

Wolf Blitzer to hold back his opinion on paper or plastic, but when the

very fabric of our nation is being ripped to shreds, we don't need a man

to hold back his views, until "all" the facts are in. And I'm

sure that dogma has nothing to do with that person's desire for us to

come