The folks at Fairness and Accuracy in Media (FAIR) have a superb timeline of media duplicity, cravenness, and occasional truth before and during the war with Iraq.
[FAIR does some excellent analyses, even if they did scowl at my work in 1991. They tagged me “the media’s favorite opponent of national agricultural programs” and complained, “Bovard achieved an impact on media discourse far exceeding his ideas’ acceptance in Congress, academia or rural America.” FAIR did not share my enthusiasm for free markets.]
It is especially helpful to recall the servility of most of the media on Iraq now, at a time when the Bush team and their lackeys are beating the war drums to commence killing Iranians.
Here’s the start of the FAIR analysis:
Iraq and the Media: A Critical Timeline
3/19/07
It’s hardly controversial to suggest that the mainstream media’s performance in the lead-up to the Iraq War was a disaster. In retrospect, many journalists and pundits wish they had been more skeptical of the White House’s claims about Iraq, particularly its allegations about weapons of mass destruction. At the same time, though, media apologists suggest that the press could not have done much better, since “everyone” was in agreement on the intelligence regarding Iraq’s weapons threat. This was never the case. Critical journalists and analysts raised serious questions at the time about what the White House was saying. Often, however, their warnings were ignored by the bulk of the corporate press.This timeline is an attempt to recall some of the worst moments in journalism, from the fall of 2002 and into the early weeks of the Iraq War. It is not an exhaustive catalog, but a useful reference point for understanding the media’s performance. The timeline also points to missed opportunities, when courageous journalists—working inside the mainstream and the alternative media—uncovered stories that should have made the front pages of daily newspapers, or provided fodder for TV talk shows. By reading mainstream media critically and tuning into the alternative press, citizens can see that the notion that “everyone” was wrong about Iraq was—and is—just another deception….
Good of FAIR to confirm the general worthlessness of the press vis-a-vis the Iraq war.
…They say if you look into crystal balls you better be ready to eat broken glass…That notwithstanding, I get the idea that supeonas issued by the Senate Judiciary Committee are now just a matter of time. The Democrats smell fear, and worse [for this administration] wide vulnerability…First they’ll throw Alberto “Stungun” Gonzales to the wolves. I’m not certain Harriet Myers will point fingers. She’s well positioned enough within the neo-Con Hierarchy to escape with relative impunity. But Leahey? will tear weak link Kyle Sampson to shreds and he will spill. Bottom line? My considered opinion is that it’s Carl Rove that Schumer and Leahey are gunning for, and I think this trip, they may get him. I’ll go one further too, this will be the equivalent of a 21st Century Army-McCarthy hearings…That and if someone on the Judiciary committee has the power to block Fielding. They’ll arrange for the proceedings to be Televised. Just like LBJ did in ’54…You’ll recall McCarthy’s support went from 51% to 27% in the wake. Then drank himself to death. It’s either High Noon in DC, or a damned good parody of it…but we’re about to find out; ’cause it’s Showtime.