Blogs

It's A Bird, It's A Plane, It's A … Conflict Of Interest?

By Vaughn Ververs

June 30, 2006 / 4:15 PM EDT / CBS News

(AP)

While the rest of the media is busy wondering whether Superman is gay or even American, we're naturally more concerned with his alter-ego, Clark Kent. After all, he's a real reporter, not some cape-wearing superhero. Apparently, the folks over at USA Today's On Deadline blog were thinking about the Daily Planet scribe as well. And they have a few questions for the paper:

Is the Daily Planet biased? On the left, liberals might see the constant references to "truth, justice and the American way" as being a little conservative. And Superman does seem to deal with lot of crime without government invention. But on the right, conservatives might see Metropolis ascribing a certain East Coast liberal elitism. Superman does seem a little friendly with the United Nations in the anti-nuclear Superman IV.
And does his Krypton birth make him an illegal immigrant? Does the Daily Planet employ illegal immigrants?
What kind of an ethics policy does the Planet have? Should Kent be allowed to report on Superman? Should he disclose his connections in his reporting? As Woodward and Bernstein told editor Ben Bradlee about Deep Throat, should Kent tell editor Perry White about his sources?

Sounds like the Daily Planet could use a little transparency. Think Perry White would be interested in a Daily Eye?