March 27, 2002


Breeding a press of water carriers:

As Dick Cheney and the White House refuse to release even the most innocuous of information for public and/or congressional oversight, the national media refuse (for the most part) to ask any question to which Ari Fleicher may take offense. Any reporter asking questions that make the White House uncomfortable is likely to face being blackballed from asking further questions, or from being given timely information—at best—or worse, being removed from their assignment or fired altogether after a well placed phone call from someone on the White House staff. On the other hand, vigorously reporting that the Emperor is not naked, but wears the finest of silk suits will lead to greater wealth and advanced information (so long as the information paints the Bush administration in a positive light). Tim Russert doesn't mind being known as Jack Welch's bitch, so long as his contracts contain seven digit figures. And these days he can insulate himself from whispered criticism with plenty of like-minded people when visiting the corporate water cooler. No worries. The corporate CEOs have instructed their broadcast newsrooms to throw out any self-imposed code of ethics.

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