Rake That Muck: The truth shall set us free

[babylonsister]

Rake That Muck: The truth shall set us free
by Alan Bisbort | Nov 22 2007


"It is scarcely credible today that such figures could wield the power to dominate the news, eclipse careers and cause whole industries and institutions to grovel in fear. But indeed they did."

No, this isn't me, projecting 25 years into the future, telling my grandchildren about George W. Bush and his cadre of neo-con punks. This is Jack Anderson, from his 1979 Confessions of a Muckraker, speaking about a Congress that, from the late 1940s until Sen. Joe McCarthy's censure in 1954, had moved the nation as close to a right-wing dictatorship as it has ever been. This group of witch-hunters, race-baiters, saber-rattling drunks and demagogues cowed a president (Truman) into implementing a Loyalty Order that all government employees were required to sign and Hollywood to voluntarily (yes) create their infamous blacklists.

The same dynamic is alive today. However, now it is the White House that has Congress cowed. Back in Anderson's day, America was pulled from the maw of totalitarianism by its press. Rather, a handful of journalists refused to be cowed and, risking all, backed these weasels down. Their names are legend. Edward R. Murrow. George Seldes. I.F. Stone. Carey McWilliams. Drew Pearson. Jack Anderson.

With the possible exception of Sy Hersh and Molly Ivins (RIP) — generally considered mavericks — not one member of the mainstream media measures up to the stature of these heroes. Our conventionally wise pundits are all about protecting their asses and access to power. Yes, sire, anything you want, sire. Grovel grovel.

Wolf Blitzer's performance as CNN's moderator of the Democratic debate last week in Las Vegas was just another episode in groveling. Every single question that he asked the various candidates, from Clinton to Kucinich, were accusatory. This group of candidates, any one of whom would make a 10 times better president than anyone the Republicans will nominate, was treated like a lineup of suspected criminals. By the so-called "liberal media."

Perhaps as both consolation and cautionary tale, it may be instructive to recall how one journalist changed American history back in the days of McCarthyism and how any member of the mainstream media might do so today.

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http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/11178

[MasonJar]

1. I would have to add Keith Oberlmann and Bill Moyers to that group.

And probably a few others. But it is small and dwindling. We have to be very cognizant of all their tricks this time. We, the people, cannot survive another GOPer pres.