The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur blasted New York Times public editor Arthur Brisbane on Thursday for his column which questioned when reporters should challenge statements made by politicians.

“When should you challenge it? How about every freaking time! What do you think your job is? Do you think you’re a stenographer? Oh, Politician X said this, and Politician Y said that. Let’s all go have cocktails together!” Cenk said. “Of course you should challenge them on the facts.”

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“Please have the courage to do actual journalism,” he added. “I don’t give a damn what the Republicans and Democrats say, tell us what the reality is.”

Later Thursday, Brisbane wrote a second column, where he acknowledged the overwhelming response to his question had been, “yes, you moron, The Times should check facts and print the truth.” But he said that was not really what his first column was trying to ask.

Brisbane’s real question, he wrote, was how aggressively reporters should rebut “facts” when those very “facts” are in question or unclear.

Watch video, courtesy of Current TV, below: