Thiessen confirms the establishment definition of "responsible journalism"

Lapdog \Lap"dog`\, n. 1. A small dog which is or can be fondled in the lap. [1913 Webster] 2. One who does the bidding of another; a servile follower. [informal] [PJC]

From Marc Thiessen's puling complaint versus Julian Assange of Wikileaks ("Sorry, Time, Assange is a criminal, not a journalist," Washington Post, 08/04/10):

Unlike reputable news organizations, Assange did not give the U.S. government an opportunity to review the classified information WikiLeaks was planning to release so they could raise national security objections (such as, for example, the fact that they contained the names of Afghan informants who are now being hunted and killed by the Taliban as a result of his disclosures). Providing such an opportunity for review is common journalistic practice. ... let’s not pretend that Assange is a journalist who is simply doing what other responsible journalists have done for years.

From the perspective of the political class, "responsible journalism" subsists in telling the public what the state wants it to hear, zipping your lips against anything the state doesn't want the public to hear, and giving the state advance notice of and access to reportage so that it can make sure you're toeing the line.

Fuck that noise.