NYT Begrudgingly Provides Second Article on Gosnell Trial

The New York Times has provided a second article about the trial of Philadelphia abortionist Dr. Kermit Gosnell, though its title, “Online Furor Draws Press to Abortion Doctor’s Trial,” suggests they had better things to do.

Author Trip Gabriel begrudgingly acquiesces:

But after an online furor that the case was being ignored by the national news media because of troubling accounts of late-term abortions, television networks descended Monday on the Court of Common Pleas.

Gabriel refers to the gruesome case of the abortionist who snipped the spinal cords of babies born alive during abortion procedures as a “political cause célèbre,” initiated by Fox News commentator Kirsten Powers. 

Powers wrote in USA Today that “when Rush Limbaugh attacked Sandra Fluke, there was nonstop media hysteria,” but in the case of Gosnell and what has become known as his “house of horrors,” Powers said there was only a shameful “deafening silence” from the press.

The NYT article gives some details about the actual trial but spends much of its space describing the back and forth among various media personalities regarding the controversy over whether the horrific trial warrants such high-level reportage. 

Gabriel ends up giving a pat on the back to the NYT for at least providing one article on the first day of the trial; he ignores that, had it not been “drawn into” coverage by the “online furor,” this second article would likely never have appeared at all.

“In any event, the coverage has arrived,” Gabriel announced.