Num país a fingir #37

O discurso do presidente dos Estados Unidos no jantar da associação de correspondentes da Casa Branca é tradicionalmente marcado como um momento descontraído de humor gratuito em que o presidente faz piadas de si próprio e do seu staff, antecipando-se ao que os jornalistas fariam se tivessem oportunidade. O discurso de Barack Obama no sábado passado não foi diferente.

Para mim, mais do que as piadas (umas com muita graça, outras com menos, outras passaram-me ao lado porque não conheço o contexto ou as pessoas), ficou-me na memória a parte final do discurso em que é realçado o papel do jornalismo livre numa sociedade onde o governo não exerce poder absoluto, para bem dessa mesma sociedade. Sorri e pensei que tais palavras nunca poderiam ter sido proferidas por José Sócrates, nem por Hugo Chavez...

Fica um excerto.

(...) But it's also true that your ultimate success as an industry is essential to the success of our democracy. It's what makes this thing work. You know, Thomas Jefferson once said that if he had the choice between a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, he would not hesitate to choose the latter.

Clearly, Thomas Jefferson never had cable news to contend with -- (laughter) -- but his central point remains: A government without newspapers, a government without a tough and vibrant media of all sorts, is not an option for the United States of America. (Applause.)

So I may not -- I may not agree with everything you write or report. I may even complain, or more likely Gibbs will complain, from time to time about how you do your jobs, but I do so with the knowledge that when you are at your best, then you help me be at my best. You help all of us who serve at the pleasure of the American people do our jobs better by holding us accountable, by demanding honesty, by preventing us from taking shortcuts and falling into easy political games that people are so desperately weary of.

And that kind of reporting is worth preserving -- not just for your sake, but for the public's. We count on you to help us make sense of a complex world and tell the stories of our lives the way they happen, and we look for you for truth, even if it's always an approximation, even if -- (laughter.)