Salon: "Scooter Libby pits George W. Bush against Natalee Holloway"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Scooter Libby pits George W. Bush against Natalee Holloway: Today's explosive story about Bush's role in the Plame leak sets a perfect marker for those of us who argue that media coverage of the Bush years has been less than stellar (to be polite).

by Peter Daou

http://daoureport.salon.com/synopsis.aspx?synopsisId=33835131-1fda-45ff-95e1-aa1d2d88fdb9

Here's the story: "Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff has testified that President Bush authorized him to disclose the contents of a highly classified intelligence assessment to the media to defend the Bush administration's decision to go to war with Iraq, according to papers filed in federal court on Wednesday by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor in the CIA leak case. I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby testified to a federal grand jury that he had received "approval from the President through the Vice President" to divulge portions of a National Intelligence Estimate regarding Saddam Hussein's purported efforts to develop nuclear weapons, according to the court papers. Libby was said to have testified that such presidential authorization to disclose classified information was "unique in his recollection," the court papers further said."

Now let's see whether cable news nets give this more attention than the disappearance of a young woman in Aruba. And let's see whether the major print outlets give it the prominence it deserves. And let's see if the Russerts of this world hammer administration officials about it with the fierceness they reserve for Democrats. And let's see if The Note finds some way to mitigate it and play defense for Bush (a rhetorical question, of course).

I've written about scandal fatigue and about the trajectory of these kinds of Bush fiascos. The media's role in the process is undeniable. So here we are yet again. Let's watch what happens with the media...



U.S. President George W. Bush (L) meets young cheerleaders Molly McLaughlin, 5 years old, (2nd L) and her sister Megan, 7 years old, (2nd R) as University of Washington Volleyball Team member Courtney Thompson looks on during a tribute to 12 NCAA Championship teams at the White House in Washington, April 6, 2006. They are the daughters of Jim McLaughlin, head coach of the University of Washington Women's volleyball team. REUTERS/Jim Young

[monarch]

1. You forgot the flag burning story on Fox

Unless it was a late April fool joke.

[ladjf]

2. Save yourself the worry. The media will take care of their business

, which is perpetuating the very profitable environment that they helped to create it. It doesn't matter that 70% of Americans think that Bush is a crook. Virtually 100% of those who control power will do every ting possible to maintain that control. They got to, (1) to keep the money rolling in and (2) to stay out of jail and (3) in some cases of treason to avoid execution.

[xultar]

3. Pure BRILLIANCE! BRAVO!

[blondeatlast]

4. W isn't blonde, pretty, and young. Hiow can he be NEWS?

He's just the president.

Silly, silly, B_E_B.

[TomInTib]

5. There is a very enlightenenig link in that article...

I've written about scandal fatigue and about the trajectory of these kinds of Bush fiascos. The media's role in the process is undeniable. So here we are yet again. Let's watch what happens with the media...

go here:
http://daoureport.salon.com/synopsis.aspx?synopsisId=a6da2e05-c808-4f7e-9ab2-3d2a01a82a15