Kuttner on Meet-the-Press: Bush's 4-year honeymoon is over

[fiorello]

From the Boston Globe:

The honeymoon is over, Mr. Bush
By Robert Kuttner, 2/11/2004

LAST WEEK I suggested that President Bush had reached a tipping point in his credibility with the broad public and the press. I speculated that we would soon see newsmagazine covers depicting Bush in trouble. Well, Time magazine obliged. Its new cover depicts a two-faced Bush and asks: "Does Bush Have a Credibility Gap?"

Does he ever. The press has at last given itself permission to be tougher on misrepresentations that have characterized the Bush presidency since its beginnings.
....

Russert successfully walked a tightrope, being as exacting with Bush as he has been with Bush's challengers without seeming disrespectful to the presidency. Russert pointed to a long litany of misrepresentations, including the deceptive accounting on the tax cuts, the budget, the deficit, the economy's job creation, Bush's own military record, and the war against Iraq.

Under firm but respectful questioning, Bush wilted.....The result was not just that Bush came off looking evasive and defensive; worse, he looked feeble.
....
The press often behaves as if "fairness" dictated not drawing conclusions in a news story. But if the president insists that black is white, pointing out the lie is not opinion journalism; it's reporting fact.

...most reporters, in their hearts, want to play it straight. And, finally, they've had a bellyful. Bush can dismiss Democrats' charges as just politicking, but it's harder to dismiss independent reporting.

Once a president loses a docile press, he seldom gets it back. It's good to see the media doing their job again.

Full article:

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/02/11/the_honeymoon_is_over_mr_bush/

[StClone]

1. Why did they attack Gore favor Bush

This does not explain that and why they didn't do real investigative journalism in the Election 2000 Florida vote. That would have saved this country some grief in my opinion. Somebody wants the Bush out now and leave the dirty work to a Press that was AWOL for 4 years.

[Skittles]

4. you know it, StClone

after the deaths of hundreds of soldiers and thousands of Iraqi people, after thousands have been horribly injured, after Bush Inc stole the election and thieved the country blind - NOW THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOBS? They have BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS.

[SoCalDem]

6. They were lazy and neither candidate "interested" them

so they let the pundits do their work for them.. The repubes are waaaaay better at it, so their talking points were the headlines..

The press liked flying around in planes and getting free food.. They really did not care to do the work involved in a thorough vetting of the candidates. they really did not think it mattered which guy won..

They were dead wrong..:(

[fiorello]

7. It wasn't a "defend-the-media" article

Sorry if my snips misrepresented it. The full article talked about Bush's soft treatment from the media (going back to 2000). It was mainly about Bush's incompetence and the hope that finally, finally, Bush would get what he deserves.

[Mountainman]

2. I hope this is true, the gloves are off finally!

How long can those who influence public opinion sit back and watch this administration take this country down a rat hole? I have often wondered when will they begin to get a conscience and do something that is right for a change and stop propping up this lying administration.

If the coming political season shows that the voters are turning on Bush then maybe the lying wingnut talk shows will start to appeal more to the main stream. What have they got to gain by supporting a losing team?

[salinen]

3. $200,000,000

says the gloves will be put back on soon.

[murielm99]

5. I don't think little Timmy walked any tightrope, successfully or otherwise

He acted like the media whore he is. He let shrub ramble and wriggle off the hook.

I e-mailed Timmy and told him he was not a journalist.