Monday, November 21, 2005

Joshua Micah Marshall makes a very good point (as usual)

Talking Points Memo: "This is one of those media questions for which there is no real way to provide a concrete answer. But it is at least worth asking: How many of the stories coming out now under the very broad heading of botched or manipulated intelligence could have been reported and written at more or less any time over the last two years? I suspect the answer is, the great majority of them.

They're getting written now because the president's poor poll numbers make him a readier target.

I know I'm not saying anything most of you don't know. And better late than never, of course. But all working reporters and editors should consider what that says about the profession."

1 Comments:

At 11:04 PM, Blogger mikevotes said...

This is true to a degree, but the media are also suddenly getting far better sourcing. The data has been out for a good while, but the "new media" doesn't report on data. They generally report articles spoon fed to them by a source.

Now, with Bush so far down, and the investigators roaming around the Whitehouse and capitol like UPS men, suddenly, the leak proof whitehouse has lost discipline.

No, I'm not saying there has been a sudden attack of conscience, but intead a sudden effort to spin stories away from people. Afraid you're going to get caught in the torture scandal, release a story claiming that it was all Cheney's idea. Afraid that the decision to go to war might be pinned on you or your boss, allege a Cheney Rumsfeld cabal.

With a weakened president everybody is trying to shift blame so that they can keep their names clean for the next republican whitehouse. They can't all be as lucky as Elliot Abrams.

Mike

 

Post a Comment

<< Home