If truthout is right what exactly is up with the MSM right now?

[Warren Stupidity]

Suppose that Rove has in fact been indicted, that the indictments were sealed and that Rove has been given notice to arrange his affairs and show up for arraignment Monday. If Jason Leopold was able to get this information, then I surmise that it is well known or at a minimum widely known within the beltway community and has certainly made it to the MSM newsrooms. I conclude that they are sitting on the story. But why? My guess is that they have been asked to keep this off the official news until Monday and that across the board they are complying. If truthout is out front with the facts here then quite simply our worst suppositions about compliant behavior by the MSM are confirmed.

[MSgt213]

1. Very good questions. Why are they sitting on it. Oh, the liberal media

loves this administration that's why.

[neoblues]

5. Loves? Maybe. Obeys... Yes.

MSM logic is exceedingly hard to understand.

[MSgt213]

14. I think I know affection when I see it. Love is appropriate.

[neoblues]

30. Well, far be it from me...

to argue with your ability to recognize "love". Still, we are refering to a non-individual entitity here, "the media", and it can't actually feel any human emotions. As for me, I'd like to think that at least some of the journalists out there resent the pressures they're under to tow the line, always kissing up to the Bush Administration. Some, no doubt, do it because they're delighted that their own party has achieved such power and are revelling in the power (exposing how shallow they are in the process). Certainly the Corporations and wealthy partisan owners have set policy for the media to give tacit support and credibility to the Bush Administration regardless of the facts, and it seems likely that this editorial policy is what makes the "media" appear so willing in their complicity. Yet, whatever... if it pleases you to think there is "love" there, so be it.

[electropop]

2. As always, they'll keep it quiet because it would be wrong to upset the

sheeple, and unacceptable to potentially influence the upcoming election. We can't have the truth meddling with our elections; that's Diebold's job.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. I assume your question is purely rhetorical

The only salvation that might be there for them on this story is that they can't get their own confirmation of they're waiting, for some reason, for the morning yak fests tomorrow.

I suspect your initial accusation - compliant media - is the real truth.

[Warren Stupidity]

7. Rhetorical yes - a counterpoint to the naysayers and doubters.

Of course we don't know yet because we haven't gotten The Official Word. The irony here is that when we do get The Official Word it will also confirm that the fourth estate has ceased to function as the fourth estate, that the blogosphere is the functional fourth estate. It confirms something else as well: we are all alone, we aren't going to get any help from anyone, it is all up to us this time.

[serryjw]

4. Doesn't make MORE sense to release it

on Mother's day than a Monday before Bushit's speech?

[MindMatter]

19. Maybe that is why Bush is giving a speech Monday night

Bush already knows the indictment is coming. He's trying his best to change the subject. I guess immigration is the only thing he's got left where more than 35% of the public might agree with him. And that gives him a chance to throw out red herrings like how horrible it is for people to be singing our National Anthem in Spanish.

Some accounts of the speech predict that he is going to call out the National Guard to stand watch at the borders. Obviously we don't have the troop strength to invade Iran, so this pathetic gesture is the best Bush can do to try to tap into the "rally around the Presnit while our troops are in harm's way" factor.

[heartofthesiskiyou]

27. Maybe he's going to invade Mexico to stop drugs

Sorry I could hardly contain myself I'm so giddy tonight. That's it bed time.

[serryjw]

29. EXCELLENT!

He is giving this speech BECAUSE of ROVE....never occured to me....The networks must be happy . He is doing this during May SWEEPS!

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

35. From the end of the Truthout article:

I don't know how many people on DU have read the entire article, as opposed to the excepts being posted here. Here are the last two paragraphs, every bit as important as the headline itself:

Some White House staffers said it's the uncertainty of Rove's status in the leak case that has made it difficult for the administration's domestic policy agenda and that the announcement of an indictment and Rove's subsequent resignation, while serious, would allow the administration to move forward on a wide range of issues.

"We need to start fresh and we can't do that with the uncertainty of Karl's case hanging over our heads," said one White House aide. "There's no doubt that it will be front page news if and when (an indictment) happens. But eventually it will become old news quickly. The key issue here is that the president or Mr. Bolten respond to the charges immediately, make a statement and then move on to other important policy issues and keep that as the main focus going forward."

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/051306W.shtml

[mike_c]

6. we'll know next week, and Truthout's credibility will be adjusted...

...accordingly. If JL was right, his cred will soar. If not, well, we'll all remember the story about the boy who cried wolf next time, and JL will join the likes of Wayne Madsden as dubious sources. Leopold has hung his reputation way out there where the stakes are high, the rewards are big, and the smackdowns really hurt. We'll know soon enough.

For what it's worth, I believe it. But I go to bed at night and wake up in the morning wishing for truly awful things to happen to Karl Rove.

[RagAss]

10. Not only that...but every jubilant post here since the early evening

will be paraded through Freeperville with DU wearing the proverbial clown suit !!!!!

[Warren Stupidity]

11. oh well, we all get to wear the clownshoes sometimes. nt.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. Some of us wear them by choice .....

... and they're not proverbial. :)

[MindMatter]

8. I was wondering the same thing

It is tempting to say they are just being their usual inept selves. But this deserves to be one of the major political stories of the year, and yet not a single major media source has anything to say about it!?

That stunned silence we heard at the correspondent's dinner during Colbert's roast is in full play here. Nearly all of the people engaged in covering the White House are sycophants who are far more concerned about their own careers and their own appearance than the reporting of important news.

But with every passing day, they are making themselves more and more irrelevant. I bet I haven't watched 5 minutes of network news in the past 10 years. It isn't so a matter of principle (such as my refusal to set foot inside any Wal*Mart as a matter of priniple). It is simply that they have nothing of any importance to say. They have consistently failed to report on the important issues facing this country. When they are not parroting the latest White House message of the day, all they want to deal with is pop culture stuff.

[MindMatter]

9. Perp walk on Sunday?

Fitz presented the indictment on Saturday, giving Rove 24 hours. That sounds like a perp walk is in store right when the "meat the press" type programs are running. If there is film of Rove in a perp walk, the MSM won't be able to help themselves anymore than they could stop showing OJ, Michael Jackson or Laci Peterson stories.

[MindMatter]

21. The perp walk?

[MindMatter]

22. Frog march anyone?

[RebelOne]

34. There won't be any perp walk.

If indicted, he will quietly turn himself in, be booked and fingerprinted and be right back out on the street.

[jazzjunkysue]

47. Right. Which is why it's not being announced until the courts are open mon

monday. He'll give himself up quietly and be driven in and out of the appropriate booking prescinct for a DC white house operative, and be sent home to hide before anyone makes it official.

They won't allow any more ugly photos than necessary.

So, it's all going down on the QT until it's all overwith and done and they have a name of a preplacement to be standing there next to the chimp when the white house makes the statement.

This is so huge, they need a staged date, time, place, etc. for all the pieces to come together.

It's an operation the size of a wedding: Most of us need 6-9 months to pull that off. These guys need a couple of days. That's understandable.

[MindMatter]

48. You are right, of course

But we can fantacize a little, can't we? :)

BTW, your typo of "preplacement" leads to a more fitting term: perplacment, as in "This administration has become a parade of perplacements. As soon as one perp is indicted, another perplacement springs up to keep the crime family going."

[eallen]

13. But what if Leopold's story is bogus?

Then every outlet that reports it as straight news ends up with egg on their face. Now, that doesn't hurt much if you're a blogger, or have a loyal and ideological following. But in the much maligned mainstream media, that is the kind of thing that ruins careers. Dan Rather was raked over the coals merely because one piece of evidence in an otherwise legitimate story turned out to be forged.

So they're waiting for corroboration. That's what the mainstream media typically does, in cases like this. If it gets to where they fear missing the story more than being duped, they'll due a "once removed" report. "Jason Leopold wrote a story on the website truthout claiming Rove was indicted. This had not been confirmed."

Maybe I'm just suspicious of Rovian manipulation, or so eager to see Rove in prison that I don't want to get my hopes too high, but I'm not going to believe it until it is announced.

:hippie:

[Clovis Sangrail]

17. exactly /nt

.

[Warren Stupidity]

18. Oh that could be true.

I don't deny that half of the equation is possible. My point is that if Jason's story is true, and my assumption that if true he is not the only one who knows, then we have the MSM, at (I assume) the request of the bush cabal, sitting on one of the biggest stories of the year so far.

[Clovis Sangrail]

15. C.Y.A.

suppose the MSM *does have the same info as Truthout.
Anonymous sources.
With a story this big I'm sure there have been calls to Rove and others asking for official confirmation.
If they're not getting that confirmation I can see where they don't want to say anything.

"We have it from anonymous sources that Karl Rove has been indicted.
When asked if the allegations were true White House officials said they were nothing but 'wild speculation'"

Personally, if was in the MSM I'd be wondering if this was a setup. With Karls media track record I'd be very very careful.

Not that I don't want to see Karl do the perp walk, but I wont celebrate till it's officially a done deal.
Fitz confirms it, Karl confirms it, court papers confirm it... something along those lines.

[Jack Rabbit]

16. They don't have Jason Leopold's sources

Otherwise, they would be cautiously reporting what those sources are telling them.

[splat]

20. "Fitzgerald indicts Rove" requires that Fitzgerald announce it

"Jason Leopold says Rove indicted" doesn't quite have the same oomph.

The principals have to confirm it -- either Fitz or Rove/Luskin. Otherwise it's rumors.

[Catherine Vincent]

23. This is Jason Leopold's blue dress!

[leftofthedial]

24. why would the forces of evil benefit from waiting until Monday?

I would think they'd want it buried on Friday or over the weekend.

Monday release is the worst case for king george and his gang of thugs.

[speedoo]

28. Actually I think " wants a Monday/Tuesday release. Maybe.

If it (Rove indictment) were released Friday, it would build like crazy over the weekend and by the time * speaks Monday night, it would be so big nobody would pay any attention to him.

But if he announced the controversial National Guard thing Monday night, and the dems start complaining, it would become a pretty big deal on it's own, and it would lessen the Rove indictment impact somewhat, assuming the Rove indictment is announced Late Monday or Tuesday.

You know * has got the faxed talking points out there to Limpballs, hannity, etc. etc. already, to stoke the National Guard thing to a frenzy.

[Qutzupalotl]

25. It's because of the 24 hours allotted for Rove to get affairs in order.

Unmolested by throngs of reporters. I can understand that. As much as I detest his tactics (he's the embodiment of politics at its worst), he is a human being with a family (I suppose) and maybe some innocent friends who will have to face the reporters. Oh, and he has to write his concession speech.

I love the smell of bacon in the morning!

[MadMaddie]

26. because being the first to report a breaking story isn't important

anymore to the big three or whatever....they are only worried about the bottom line....one would think by breaking the story that would gain some respect back but they don't care....

[threadkillaz]

31. deleted

-

[robbedvoter]

32. Paralysis. Rove has no time to dictate - stenographers twiddle tumbs

Like W when reading My Pet Goat.

[many a good man]

33. This story is SO big

that most news outfits won't go with it until an official is willing to go on record. I can buy that. No conspiracy here.

Of course, if it were Clinton it would have been a different story.

What I find interesting is that FITZGERALD CONTROLS THE TIMING. Rove won't resign until Fitz officially sends up the indictment. I'm more curious about what is motivating Fitz.

[Warren Stupidity]

54. "Of course, if it were Clinton it would have been a different story"

Well that is the point. Once again: assume the story is true. If this were the Clinton administration rove's indictment would be splattered across news scrawls on every channel 24/7. The revolting spinheads would be talking of nothing else, and resignation (of Clinton) would be the suggested remedy.

That this is not happening means one of two things: Leopold got it all wrong or the MSM is indisputably controlled by the same powers behind the bush cabal itself.

[C_U_L8R]

36. Perhaps Rove is trying to cut a deal

It sounds like everything was set to go down
on Friday... even Tweetie was on stand-by.

It could be that Rove has decided to turn
evidence on Cheney & Bush.. that could delay
an announcement of indictment.

On the other hand ... Fitz may have given
KKKarl the courtesy of the weekend to get his
affairs in order... don't know why he would
do this.... hmmm.

Very curious.... stuff is afoot. Who knows
what is actually happening.

[TacticalPeek]

39. Rove v. Cheney

There it is. Rove and Luskin were thinking he would skate past the grave, but are having to readjust their world view to one in which Pork Chop Boy looks like, well, a big, steaming pork chop.

:evilgrin:

[C_U_L8R]

44. mmmmm.... BBQ !!

i love BBQ

[MindMatter]

51. The "affairs in order" thing is bogus

Rove will not be arrested. He will turn himself in and be released on his own recognizance. Then months of court proceedings will follow before there is any possibility of his spending even one night in jail. Leopold hurts his credibility by including that line.

[marions ghost]

53. good guesses IMO

things left hanging needed to be tidied up...

[cassiepriam]

37. Gives repugs time to get their spin story straight....

Like the charges are only minor, and Fitz is unfairly persecuting such great Americans. The typical propoganda....

And gives the media time to cook the public opinion polls.

[CJCRANE]

38. Yeah, the MSM is usually

quite speedy. Like with the NSA spying scandal they only held the story back for a year...

The bin Laden 'October Surprise' 04 videotape was also held back for several days (until just before the election) and censored at the request of the WH (for 'national security' reasons).

[zann725]

40. So they wait until Monday. Weekend news is throw-out news,right?

It'll have more "play" and impact on Monday...and will "run" stronger all next week on MSM.

[quaoar]

41. Back when I was still a reporter

I had a very good source who tipped me off to indictments that would be sought in a high-profile savings and loan fraud case. I knew who would be indicted and what the charges would be.

The risk in running such a story is that the prosecutor changes his mind or something comes up or the guy's lawyer comes up with a stalling tactic or whatever. There are a hundred things that could throw it off. And then you look stupid having written a story saying something is going to happen and it doesn't. You have to be extremely confident in your source to run a story like that.

OTOH, you also have to consider whether your competition will run with the story. It's a tough call.

[napi21]

42. I think Rove has been notified that the indictment is done and

going to be filed on Monday, and that Rove DID notify his bosses, but the MSM won't release any info until theindictment is actually filed with the court.

Like it or not, I think they just don't want to appear speculating on this one.

[Evergreen Emerald]

43. They are irrelevant

They do not provide information. They do not report. They are propaganda typists who await orders from the * administration before spell-checking and disseminating.

The biggest betrayal of our Republic has been the media's complicity. The lack of ANY mention of the indictment is further proof of their irrelevance.

[HuffleClaw]

45. fitzgerald would schedule a press conference right?

WHEN would we expect to know of such a development? early monday?

[GCP]

46. "IF" Truthout is right

That's a big if as far as I'm concerned regarding JL. I've had my hopes crashed too many times since last December to get any enthusisam going this time around. I'll wait until the much-maligned media whores "break" the story before I break open any champagne.

[longship]

49. There's a simple answer.

They are waiting for Monday.

Why? I suppose one could come up with all sorts of reasons why.

I suspect it could be any number of reasons.

1. They have Jason's sources but do not trust them.

2. They do not have Jason's sources and completely missed the boat.

3. They are sitting on the story until it breaks.

I think that it's a combination of 1 and 3. It would make sense that the market driven media would sit on this until they could make a bigger splash on a hot news day, Monday. If they are being cautious of the report because of the sources, that could convince them that this was a wise idea anyway. I know that this doesn't make any journalistic sense, but the news media hasn't been making too much sense for some time now.

I know that this is highly speculative but it makes sense to me. I'm not ready to assign any deliberate guilt to the media on this, since it's not the type of story that one can keep secret. There's really no way to stifle it. They were all over the Libby indictment. It is just not reasonable for them to deliberately attempt to stifle Rove's, if that were even possible (which it isn't).

[MindMatter]

50. And at this stage, they have already been scooped

So there is absolutely nothing to gain by running a story now -- and everything to lose if the story falls apart.

But that's OK. It further defines the role of the modern MSM to report about things superficially and late. Today ALL significant infomration of a political nature is everging from the Internet-based sources. The MSM is not even a player anymore. They are hanging out in pop culture land.

The country would probably be better served if all those network news departments just shut down altogether. At least then there would be no pretending that they are relevant.

[longship]

52. I think you are right on target.

Especially about "nothing to gain". Now that the Blogosphere has scooped every single other major news outlet, they would definitely not break the story during the slow news weekend. There's no profit in that. Watch them all jump on the bandwagon tomorrow morning, though.

If we are correct, they will.

[opihimoimoi]

55. Wil Pitt sez Rove got 24 hours to get affairs in place..after notification

on a business day...meaning Tues or Wed is when we see the dude in chains/cuffs/orange suit....Damn, I gonna light a bon fire.