Reply #28: In a very real sense,

[H2O Man]

"journalism" has betrayed the American public. I mean the vast majority of people who work for the large, corporate media. This is the only way it can be, when, for example, profit motives make "the news" a product not unlike McDonalds "food." More, when "retired" military/intelligence officers become expert anylists, it can not be otherwise. The coverage of the build-up to the war in Iraq is the most obvious example.

Russert was, of course, part of that. But he had many good points as an individual, and it is an appropriate time to focus on him as an individual.

Matthews just told about their discussing the issues leading up to Iraq, off camera. He said that Russert really believed the lies about nuclear weapons. As Vince Bugliosi points out in his new book, those lies are the primary responsibility of Bush, Cheney, Rice and others in the administration.