If You Think Media Narratives About Bush Have Changed, Think Again

[Presstitutes]

One of the ways reporters intentionally or unintentionally support Bush is by repeating long-standing fictional narratives about him.

In a recent post entitled "Slaying the Bullhorn Myth," we wrote: "Of the many myths about George W. Bush, the most enduring is that he demonstrated great leadership in the days after 9/11 - with the shining example supposedly being his "Bullhorn Moment." The fiction of the Bullhorn Moment has been repeated thousands of times, not only by reporters, but by Democratic leaders who think complimenting Bush somehow endears them to voters."

The 'Bullhorn' myth is one of many, another being that Bush is likable, and another still that he is "Christian."

Here's the latest example of a shop-worn Bush narrative being foisted on us by the 'legitimate' press. From the New York Times: "The negative effects on Mr. Bush's presidency from indictments of his senior aides, said James A. Thurber, director of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University in Washington, would be as great as the positive effects of Mr. Bush's handling of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks."

There again, for the zillionth time, the lie about Bush's post-9/11 actions. One of the great strategic failures of Democrats is not to appreciate the power of this kind of repetition by the traditional media. "Flip-flop" didn't get attached to John Kerry because Republicans called Kerry a flip-flopper. It was the insidious insertion of the meme into the national bloodstream by 'legitimate' reporters (otherwise known as Pre$$titutes), whose relationship of trust with the public allows them to shape views more readily than partisans like Fox, etc.

If Pre$$titutes didn't reinforce rightwing talking points, those talking points would be far less ubiquitous. Imagine where we'd be if the media had always displayed the bare minimum of skepticism toward the administration we saw in Katrina's aftermath, in that brief moment when they stopped imbibing pro-Bush spin and spitting it back at us. The outlandish fabrications about Bush's character would never have taken hold.

http://www.presstitutes.com/presstitutes/2005/10/if_you_think_me.html

[papau]

1. Very true - and well said :-)

:-(

but sad ---

[Village Idiot]

2. Why do all the RW nujobs remember the Bullhorn and forget the Classroom?

Shrub was a paralyzed moron on Sept, 11, 2001.

[SheilaT]

3. Not to mention how long it took

Bush to stop flying around the country in a panic and actually go to NYC. Bill Clinton made it back from Australia and to the city sooner.