Reporters forbidden to talk with soldiers or families at Bush visit ..

[kentuck]

The reporters were given ten ground rules.
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http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%257E27772%257E1788871,00.html

<snip>

FORT CARSON - Ground Rule 9 for the media covering President Bush's presidential visit Monday sounded more like an edict from Beijing or a banana republic.

"Write positive stories about Ft. Carson and the U.S. Army," Ground Rule 9 commanded.

That would have been easier if Ground Rule 3 of the presidential visit had not also forbidden reporters to talk to any soldiers or their families before, during or after the president's appearance.

<snip>

Monday's Ground Rule 6 - "no roaming" - amounted to a heavy-handed smack at the First Amendment. But it was an insult to the intelligence of military men and women and their families as much as it was an indictment of the media.

[GAspnes]

1. suit pending

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

This is a clear violation, if the executive branch is bound by the same Constitution that binds Congress.

[fishnfla]

2. get used to it

this is not a free country anymore

[in_cog_ni_to]

3. Fascism....alive and well

in the Bush regime. Damn. What would have happened had a FAMILY wanted to talk to the press?

Why does the press let this WH get away with this crap? Where are the Walter Cronkites? Edward R. Murrows?

Why are we stuck with these gutless wonders called "journalists?"

[DUreader]

4. kick

[incapsulated]

5. Yes, it's awful but..

The real point here is that the so called "free press" went along with it. That is where democracy is lost; not in the edict, in the submission to it.

[truthspeaker]

8. no kidding

How hard would it have been for the reporters to pass out business cards with their phone numbers so families and soldiers could contact them later in private. Or make a big stink on the editorial page.

[DUreader]

6. kick

[NewJeffCT]

7. sickening

even the possibility a reporter might talk to somebody in the military scares them.

[Kanary]

9. Letter To The Editor going out, and thanks to the reporter.

Good article!

Thanks for posting this.

Kanary