The conveyor belt that carries journalists from liberal publications into the upper echelons of the mainstream media is whirring right along. American Prospect correspondent Laura Rozen is now filing news reports for the Los Angeles Times, while over at ABC News former Salon reporter Jake Tapper has been promoted to senior national correspondent and will serve as the network’s chief political reporter during the 2006 and 2008 elections.

This is not to impeach the quality of their journalism, but merely to point out — yet again — the absurdity of the objectivity claim. These two journalists will be called upon to make all sorts of judgment calls regarding the selection of stories, the placement of facts, the quotation of sources. Yet we’re asked to believe that they are able to suspend their entire worldview when they’re making these tough calls. I’m not arguing for any kind of affirmative action policy for conservatives in the mainstream media, but how about some truth in advertising?