Fred Thompson smeared

This screaming full page headline currently on the left-leaning political website Huffingtonpost.com is why all decent Americans should be disgusted with how the media -- especially the Internet-based "new" media -- covers politics.

Choosing sensationalism over common sense, the Huffington Post has not-so subtly branded actor/politician Fred Thompson as a racist for skipping out on next week's Republican debate at predominately black Morgan State University.

What this smarmy headline neglects to mention is Morgan State is located in Baltimore, Maryland -- a good hour drive from Thompson's home in Northern Virginia. And that's not even taking into account the devastating traffic that the Baltimore/Washington area is famous for.

Accusing a prominent figure of racism to score political points and increase website traffic is the cheap easy path that, these days, is all too often being chosen. Real journalistic courage is addressing the problems that arise when a well-rounded family man of immense charm attempts to juggle running for president and maintaining the domestic normalcy he shares with his young wife and young children.

Fred Dalton Thompson has absolutely nothing against debating in front of black voters. In fact, he would be more than happy to invite Morgan State University, the Congressional Black Caucus, Oprah Winfrey, Kunta Kinte and the whole bunch of them to a special debate that would take place in the actor/politician's very own McClean, Virginia living room.

Really he would, it's just with the football seasons getting underway and how things are starting to heat up on Two and a Half Men. . .