Question Arise About Press' Role As "Surge Protectors"

Editor & Publisher:

Over the next week, much will be written, pro and con, about General Petraeus's report on the progress of the "surge" in Iraq and President Bush's response. Since both men have pretty much already announced, or at least rehearsed, what they are going to say, the suspense is not exactly crippling. I'll be writing more later, but for now I'd simply like to address the media's responsibility to address, over the next few days, this key moment in our recent history with a steady gaze - which, as I will recount, was sadly lacking last winter in the weeks before the "surge" was announced.

Essentially, that Bush decision - and his rejection of the Iraq Study Groups recommendations at that time -- was the most tragic turn in this war since the original invasion, and like its overall performance in the run-up to the 2003 attack, the press (with several exceptions) failed miserably.

Read the whole story: Editor & Publisher

Comments

[Gary47]

12:04 AM on 09/06/2007

Questions? What in the world would the questions be? Its a well-established fact that the press has been bush's lap-dog from the beginning. And for the upteen-billionth time - its not a "surge" (even if it does make for a cutesy headline) - its an "escalation".

[thromulese]

09:56 PM on 09/05/2007

The press is still catapulting the propaganda for the republiCONs.

Today in the LA Times an article about McCain had bold title of Old McCain Still Quick With The Wit. And it is about him calling a student a jerk for asking him about his age. If there was a joke in him calling this student a jerk, I do not think most people got the JOKE. But still they reported it like it as fact. This was a joke! or just an angry, old man insulting a student because he asked the wrong question.

Remember, king george jr would not have been able to steal the throne without the compliance and spin provided by the MSM.

[oafishcad]

08:30 PM on 09/05/2007

One can only say the press failed miserably if you think the role of the press is to tell the truth. As a steno pool they are a resounding sucess. As Rove's backup dancers they are outstanding. As lapdogs of Conservatism and mouthpieces for the GOP they are without peer. Failures? Only if you care about truth.

[tricky69]

08:11 PM on 09/05/2007

What makes you think that the media will change their stance now? They've been cheerleaders for the government since the beginning. And I mean since the beginning of time basically. The media and government have been partners in crime and nothing, except exposing this deadly alliance, will stop it. The media's existence isn't for exposing the misdeeds of government, it's to provide cover for them, period! You know it and we the informed know it.

[Javani]

07:11 PM on 09/05/2007

This writer isn't too bright. "More troops" vs. "the ISG Report" is an old meme. It was discredited when it was pointed out to the espousers of the meme the ISG report was the proponent of more troops against the Bush/Rumsfeld planning.

[GhostintheMachine]

06:58 PM on 09/05/2007

"Overall, the major media outlets are quite moderate compared to members of Congress, but even so, there is a quantifiable and significant bias in that nearly all of them lean to the left," said co‑author Jeffrey Milyo, University of Missouri economist and public policy scholar.

http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/page.asp?RelNum=6664

[oafishcad]

08:31 PM on 09/05/2007

Gee then it must be true. Except it isn't.

[FastMovingCloud]

06:56 PM on 09/05/2007

Boy, I hope the "media" listens to Greg Mitchell and Editors & Publishers more than they listen to us. I think they only listen to their corporate overlords.

[UCantPolishATurdblossum]

05:10 PM on 09/05/2007

Saying the Press failed implies that it still serves the same function that it had when our country was founded: To inform the citizenry and protect it from the abuses of government.

It's pretty obvious that it's function is now the complete opposite.

[FastMovingCloud]

06:58 PM on 09/05/2007

Now, their function is to scoop the latest celebrity hoopla.

[speakingtruth2power]

04:28 PM on 09/05/2007

Bush is trying to say that the surge is working in Al Anbar but that isn't where the surge took place! They actually took troops out of there to support the surge in Baghdad!

Al Anbar is pointed to by BushCo and the MSM, as a model for achievement but it's Sunni majority is not typical to the rest of Iraq! This is more MSM supported BUSHIT!

WTF!! How can our MIC owned MSM expect any cognisant American to believe any of this crap? Maybe they don't expect any more than 29% to but their treasonous lies??

[Grannysue]

04:02 PM on 09/05/2007

A good many of our news stations and magazines have carried the water for this administration and continue to do so. It's disheartening when you see people like Matthews, Russert and Blitzer, make statements telling everyone, "well it appears this surge is working". Yes if your in Anbar province at the airport, where it's ran and surrounded by ten thousand soldiers, you bet it's safe. Just don't step off the reservation.
Sad that so many of them would sell their soles in order to keep this farce going. I remember when Matthews said "People like Bush because he's the kind of guy you can have a beer with". First of all, I never voted for Bush either time, and personally I can think of millions of people I would rather have a beer with then jr. Maybe he could read My Pet Goat to Chris and have a beer with him.
Then their is FAUX NEWS. Where delusions is just another day at the office! So, we cannot count on the news media anymore, I simply take what they say and begin serching the internet and other newpapers and magazines for more accurate information. Our news media need to report the News not be part of making it.

[oafishcad]

08:34 PM on 09/05/2007

So the "have a beer with the idiot" came from Matthews? I never got it-never. I can't imagine being drunk and listening to that moron babbling away. shudder.

[Defyant]

03:33 PM on 09/05/2007

Our media is the whore of government.

[speakingtruth2power]

03:02 PM on 09/05/2007

The MIC owned MSM is stacked with war whores, especially
the elitist beltway press gang who sell out America with every
bought and paid for lie! The fact that many of these war whores
actually believe some of the garbage the spew, points to the depths
of corruption inside the swamp. It's time to bring back the Fairness Doctrine!

[realitytrumpsbull]

02:50 PM on 09/05/2007

The war's a joke, the media covering the war is a joke, the policy behind it all is a joke. So funny. Ha ha. We've been sold a bill of goods called The Iraq War Saga, which will likely continue until all the 'defense' companies stock is flying high again...and they've set themselves up to have all the oil they can drill for. Best of all, the taxpayer has no choice about covering the bill. Sounds like payday! Makes you want to run right out and get a job over at Hallicheney, don't it? Then again, maybe not....maybe there should be an impeachment hearing instead...

[bertloc2]

02:55 PM on 09/05/2007

Are they hiring ?

I'm always keeping my eye open....

[Ladyrantsalot]

02:46 PM on 09/05/2007

The MSM have given Dumbya a pass his entire career. They're a bunch of bloviating sycophants in the court of King George. I can see them drinking their mineral waters in a DC bar, bragging about their special access to Tokyo Rove and Scooter (or Bolton or other courtiers du jour), completely unaware that they are simply being manipulated. Today's press created the mommy party/daddy party metaphors and appear driven to gain daddy's love. They think mommy will always love them, no matter how shabbily they treat her.

[Ammobob]

02:41 PM on 09/05/2007

It was predicted after the 2006 election and Defeatocrats taking control that THEY would start backing the war, since it was THEIRS now. Could be a self-fulfilling prophecy, eh?

[lornejl]

02:43 PM on 09/05/2007

Can you link to that big fella ?

[bertloc2]

02:53 PM on 09/05/2007

Yeah, they tried to pull off the old switcheroo...

..and they STILL claim to hate war. Don't they understand how freedom works ? Just goes to show you how Un-Americanal the Defeatocrats really are !

[Defyant]

05:10 PM on 09/05/2007

I remember saying repeatedly before the Democrats took Congress that nothing would change, and it hasn't. As long as people continue to support the exclusive two party system our government will continue down the path it is on; war, profit over people, RFID chip, and tighter control of the population under the guise of security, continued erosion of standard of living with ever widening gap between rich and poor. Increased taxation, and no accountability.

We might as well rename our country right now to the Fascist Sates Of America.