Reporting vs. Editorializing

The AP doesn't seem to know the difference.
Is it deliberate editorial policy? a lack of oversight of reporters? bureau chiefs with axes to grind?

Simple ignorance and incompetence?

Case in point: "Pope Benedict XVI has gone on YouTube and his speeches appear in Chinese on the Vatican Web site, but judging from the uproar over a Holocaust-denying bishop and his pronouncement that condoms deepen the AIDS crisis, he's clearly struggling with his message."

Is he?
Clearly?
Is that clear to you? "His" message, (um, that would be the Gospel message, but leave that aside,) is indeed being struggled with, but it is the "journalist's" unsupported opinion that the Pope is the one dong the struggling.
Jesus was not "struggling with His message" when some disciples deserted Him, whining, "This is a hard saying."
My Mom was not "struggling with her message" when 11 brats whined that it was too early ta hafta go ta bed, even if it was a schoolnight.
Oh, I misspoke, the "journalist" was supported in his opinion by Politi and Reese, who, I dare say, always seem to be "struggling with" the Holy Father's messages when they whine about them.... before he delivers them.

2nd Case: Cdl Kasper helped in a menorah rededication "amid fallout from the Holy See's botched decision to the lift" the SSPX excommunications.
The pejorative verbal, "botched" seems intended to be expressive of the reporter's opinion of the merits of a theological and ecclesial decision, not informative as to.... oh, I dunno, facts?

And lastly: Archbishop Raymond Burke, the former St. Louis prelate who now leads the Vatican supreme court, said President Barack Obama 'could be an agent of death' if his support for abortion rights becomes a model for leaders in other countries.... The White House press office did not respond to a request for comment. Obama has pledged to find ways to reduce the abortion rate, to find common ground with opponents."

Okay.
Is Obama's "pledge" really the most relevant tag for this story? Is that really the most pertinent information, assuming you want to end your little "news pyramid" with the president's position which is being denounced by the subject of your story?
Not, oh, let's see.... what's actually been DONE by the president? as president? the repeal of the Mexico city policy, the reversal of an executive order allowing for conscientious objection to participating in abortion under the guise of "health care," the support of killing new embryos to create new stem cell lines....

The AP doesn't even keep up a pretense of objectivity, it seems.

Their journalistic integrity stinks like week-old tilapia.