Enough Blame to Go Around?

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Frank Rich poses a question for his Sunday column: Who is to blame for the next attack against us? And goes on to posit that the Republicans will seize on such a happening--nay, are hoping for it in some quarters--as the only chance they have to gain ground against President Obama.

The column makes for strong food for thought, and I recommend you read it. [I'll wait....]

For me, the column edged around a strong truth--the Bush Administration, the Republicans could not have operated as they did without the collaboration / collusion / cooperation -- call it what you will, of the very self-important traditional media.

And just in case the NYT mod decides not to publish my comment, here it is:

The underpinning of too much of the mess we were left by "the bums" is the media that turned a willful blind eye to facts, cosied up to fearmongers and enabled their drumbeat to War in Iraq and torture.

The McClatchy reporters are [the] best example of a dying breed: journalists who dig out the truth and refuse to pass along spin as fact...they are to be saluted, and cherished, for their like in mainstream media is rarely seen.

Instead we are treated to tabloidized everything--from the singing Scotswoman to the new Supreme Court Justice. All coverage dumbed down and manipulated for "Mortal Combat" controversy.

No wonder people are turning away from traditional media. You are "the bums," too.

Craven, cowardly Democrats who routinely cave to the least little pressure from Repuglican spinmeisters [see any comment by Lanny Davis] deserve the scorn Rich gives them.

"I would hope" that we will see better from the Dems...but also from those who purport to be journalists yet do little more than regurgitate the spin o'the day.
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crossposted at firedoglake's Oxdown Gazette