Story highlights President Barack Obama was firm in his assertion that journalists must uphold a higher standard

His own administration has stood accused of hampering journalists' work

Washington (CNN) President Barack Obama called on journalists Monday to uphold higher standards in keeping voters informed about their elected leaders, saying at a press dinner in Washington that business demands had compromised news outlets' ability to hold candidates to their promises.

Obama -- whose own administration has stood accused of hampering journalists' work through secrecy -- said that tough questions and investigative reporting remained an essential element to the U.S. political process, which said was now too grim now to even be described as a "carnival."

"When our elected officials and our political campaigns become entirely untethered from reason and facts and analysis, when it doesn't matter what's true and what's not, that makes it all but impossible for us to make good decisions on behalf of future generations," Obama said at the awards dinner for the Robin Toner prize, which honors the late New York Times political correspondent.

"It threatens the values of respect and tolerance that we teach our children and that are the source of America's strength. It frays the habits of the heart that underpin any civilized society," he said.

Obama, speaking to a room of journalists, didn't quite resort to scolding during his remarks. But he was firm in his assertion that journalists must uphold a higher standard when reporting on presidential candidates.

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