Onlne with Howie Kurtz - Updated

I've never followed one of these on-line chats at the WaPo before. They have their *star* media critic Howard Kurtz holding court this afternoon. Moves slower than I expected. I submitted this question:

You're a sharp critic on conflict of interest of other journalists. Are you willing to address your own apparent conflict, as demonstrated by your reluctance to strongly criticize Dobbs/CNN for promoting Birther madness while you're employed by CNN?

Not expecting the moderators will let it through, or if they do, that Howie will answer it. But I figure it's good to let them know we noticed.

Updated: They did however let this question through.

Minneapolis, Minn.: Yet another birther question. After looking at the latest LARGE FONT Huffington post story about the Lou Dobbs ad set to run on CNN tonight, it does seem to me that it is in the interests of left-leaning blogs and commentators to keep the birther story alive by labeling Republican legislators as nutty extremists. This helps to further push the belief that the Republican party is out step with mainstream American beliefs and values.

Your thoughts?

Howard Kurtz: As with every other issue on the planet, both sides are trying to exploit it. You have a number of Republican members of Congress who are sponsoring legislation to require presidential candidates to produce their birth certificates -- a clear shot at Obama and a bow to the birthers. And you have liberal commentators trying to tar the entire conservative movement with the views of this fringe, when a number of right-wing pundits have denounced the birthers. My own view is that the media have given this trumped-up controversy entirely too much attention, given that the facts are clear that Barack Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961.

Maybe I should have phrased mine as a slam at liberals. Probably would have a better chance of being answered.

Update: Chat over. Shockingly, my Q didn't get taken. The ones that did say a lot about the *liberal* media.

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