WaPo / Howard Kurtz: Firing Bullets (Press at Bush)

[Demeter]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/07/13/BL2007071300414.html?referrer=email&referrer=email&referrer=email


Firing Bullets

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 13, 2007; 10:22 AM



The press declared war on the war yesterday.

I can reach no other conclusion after watching the president's press conference.

With each successive question, White House correspondents essentially asked why anyone should believe that Bush has a viable strategy for success in Iraq. The clear subtext is that the commander-in-chief has little or no credibility left on the subject.

Compare that to the tone of the questioning in 2003 and 2004, and the difference is striking.

Was it a biased performance? Journalists were reflecting the growing public outcry for an end to the war, as reflecting in a slew of polls and the expanding group of Republican senators who are breaking with Bush on his Iraq strategy. When the war was popular, reporters were treading carefully. Now that it's unpopular, reporters are openly doubting the original decision to go to war, the way the war was prosecuted, and the seemingly grim prognosis for the future.

If there was a question about what will happen in Iraq if we pull out, I missed it. The entire political system now seems geared toward pressuring the administration into some kind of redeployment or pullback, and that remains the media's focus.

[Kagemusha]

1. Now that is one sanctimonious, bitter spanking of the media.

How dare they ask why Bush should be believed about having a viable strategy. Was it biased? Is siding with the public bias? Some think so. Should journalists not be consistent in their worship of power? Kurtz seems to think so.

[msongs]

2. ha ha as if the washington press corps was competent. that's a laugh howie nt

[Spazito]

3. Howie, Howie, Howie.....

Why would you think what you have to say has ANY credibility??? You have been covering for the bush cabal all along. Could it be because your wife's business relies on repub contracts, nahhhhhhhh, couldn't be.

"Was it a biased performance?" Hmmmm, when I relate that question to you and your article, Howie, I answer with a resounding YES!