The ethics of editorial judgement, however, began to go though a sea change during the late 1970s and 80s when the Carter and Reagan Administrations de-regulated the television industry.

In exchange for power, influence, command and a place in history, a president gives up the bulk of his privacy.

Most journalists now believe that a person's privacy zone gets smaller and smaller as the person becomes more and more powerful.

But the time has come for journalists to acknowledge that a zone of privacy does exist.

The ethics of editorial judgement, however, began to go though a sea change during the late 1970s and 80s when the Carter and Reagan Administrations de-regulated the television industry.

No matter what name we give it or how we judge it, a candidate's character is central to political reporting because it is central to a citizen's decision in voting.

The relationship between press and politician - protected by the Constitution and designed to be happily adversarial - becomes sour, raw and confrontational.