NPR this AM---Doyle McManus (LA Times) pissed me off!!

[Gloria]

He was being interviewed about the uranium scandal and I noted that the interviewer (a woman) did bring up the October Tenet nixing of the info.

What ticked me off was McManus, snidely saying (sic) OF COURSE, THE DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO HAMMER BUSH ON THIS, TRYING TO GIVE IT LEGS....WE'LL HAVE TO SEE IF IT HAS LEGS."

My question to Mr. McManus is: it's not the role of the Democrats to give it legs--they are pointing out this crap for the country to see and for political reasons. Isn't the role of the PRESS to cover a story and if the story is really examined and has serious import, then won't it have legs??? If the media doesn't cover it, and let's it slide to enable Bush, is it doing it's best to AVOID having the story gain legs????

I just can't stand that snide tone trying to reduce this whole thing to politics, when it's beyond politics...it's about lying and we all know that LYING is an impeachable offense...at least it was in 1998!!

[kentuck]

1. Excellent, excellent point Gloria !

The Democrats have to point it out because the press is not doing its job and then the press attacks the Democrats for pointing it out? And to try to minimize this as playing "politics" is indicative of the incompetence in the American media...

[Lastgasp]

2. I'm pissed-off too!

I missed the interview, but your account of it has my blood boiling. I tell you, Gloria, there are gazillions of us Democrats out here and we are all mad as hell. We are mad at Bush and his toadys and we are mad at the media for ignoring our side. Thanks for your post. I'm happy to know about McManus's stance.

[Cocoa]

3. He said the same thing on Face the Nation

it pissed me off too. This story is REAL, the president REALLY lied to us in the SOTU.

Actually, the real story is not that Bush lied, which is really all Bush does, but that attention is being paid at all, which usually does not happen.

I'd be curious to see McManus's writings about Clinton's blow job. Let me guess, that story was NOT politically motivated.

[quilp]

4. I heard it too and e-mailed NPR.

I wanted to know how they could justify wasting my time with this pathetic "reporter". He is just as worthless on Washington Week. But it has paid off for him. He was on with Bob Schieffer on "Face the Nation" today. A dues paid member of the Republican "don't ask, don't tell" journalist fraternity.

[Gloria]

5. Here's my take on Washington Week...as written for Buzzflash 2/7/03 on

the Colin Powell UN crap....and the sham dossier.....

http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical/dossier.htm

Media Watch

Washington Week in Review for February 7, 2003: Sins of Omission

All day I've been tracking the story of the sham Iraq dossier used by
Colin Powell as evidence in his UN presentation. ABC, a brief mention;
MSNBC; UPI; AP; Reuters picked it up to varying degrees.

So for sure I thought I'd hear some in-depth analysis of this incredible
story on the venerable PBS program Washington Week in Review.

But I heard nothing.

By 7:10 I had heard ABC reporter Martha Raddatz call Powell's speech
"powerful." I waited for her to launch into a report on how his
credibility would be damaged by the dossier. But I heard nothing.

Instead I heard Raddatz declare her admiration for Powell's "precise"
language regarding an Iraq/Al-Qaeda link. Doyle McManus of the L.A.
Times chimed in by saying that "it's the link to terrorists that means
you can't wait on Saddam, " completely ignoring the fact that the BBC
has just debunked this supposed link. I also heard Jeff Birnbaum, who
slums at FOX News, bringing up the extension of the Patriot Act leaked
today by the Justice Department. Brought up and quickly glossed over,
literally in a couple of sentences.

Then it was back to Powell and how Europe used to think he was their
friend. Raddatz opined that Powell is "Mr. Popularity" here in the US,
with higher approval ratings than anyone, and that he is the perfect
messenger. Another perfect time to discuss the dossier! But nothing.

Forget the February 14 UN report. Look for an ultimatum before then,
said Mr. McManus. I concluded that it's obvious that Mr. Blix won't be
allowed to report anything positive.

7:15. Birnbaum is asking if Saddam is watching TV. Still no mention of
the dossier.

The discussion moves on to the budget. I go to the PBS website and
write an email to Washington Week in Review. I ask, "Since your budget
has already been cut by the Bush administration, why not stop covering
for it and actually work for the American people?"

I'm sure I'll receive a "form email response" which will tell
me.....nothing.