When it comes to really putting Bush and Rumsfeld on the spot, why did a comedian, a former general, a rock star, an ex-CIA analyst and an average citizen in North Carolina, go where reporters often fear to tread?
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002463525By Greg Mitchell
(May 05, 2006) -- For centuries, The Press acted as surrogate for The People. Now, at least in regard to the Iraq war, the reverse often seems to be true.
While reporters and commentators continue to tiptoe around the question of whether Bush administration officials, right up to the president, deliberately misled the nation into the war, average and not-so-average citizens have raised the charge of “lies” and caused a stir usually reserved for reporters. Is America, or just my own head, about to explode over Iraq?
The latest example of citizen journalism occurred Thursday, with former CIA analyst Ray McGovern’s persistent questioning of Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld at a forum in Atlanta. CNN’s Anderson Cooper, interviewing McGovern later, told him he had gone where most reporters had failed to tread. Whether Anderson meant this as self-criticism was impossible to tell.
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Still, it would be nice to see reporters following ex-CIA analyst McGovern's example on Thursday, directing chapter-and-verse examples of misleading statements, or downright lies, at Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney and others (beyond Tony Snow) whenever they get a chance. Certainly, every poll shows that the American public is behind them on this--or should I say, ahead of them?
Now it will be fun to watch the media reaction to the CD release of the Neil Young anti-Bush broadside next week. A Washington Post music critic has already weighed in with a pan, declaring, bizarrely, “the urgency is somewhat strange, given that the album doesn't appear to be inspired by any recent events.”
more...great article