Democracy Lover and Dan Froomkin (h/t FireDogLake for the link) both offer specifics and general rules for a proper journalistic approach toward Bush Administration claims concerning Iran. DL does a good job, not only of asking the right questions, but of answering them with facts, without hype, spin, fearmongering, or nonsense. Froomkin offers both specific and general guidelines to an industry that quite simply failed us in the run-up to the war in Iraq, and now refuses to admit it failed.
What astounds me more than anything is the persistent reliance in the mainstream press upon sources who, quite simply, are conniving, duplicitous, and conspiratorial. More to the point, as the rhetoric heats up, has no one noticed that much of the nonsense spewed by the Bush Administration is almost identical to that put out in the fall of 2002 in the run-up to the Iraq war? They changed one letter, "q" to "n", and the rest is the same tired, nonsensical drivel that proved so fatal to tens of thousands.
The Bush Administration lied about Iraq. They lied about lying about it. When they were caught, they lied about lying about lying about it. They are institutionally incapable of telling the truth. The American people know this; have you seen polls recently? Why doesn't the press corps jump on board? Why doesn't just one journalist, when confronted with Bush perfidy, say, "You know what, I'm not buying that sack of monkey crap"? It would end, right then, right there.
And if wishes were horses, I'd have a stable full.
At least there are those out here who know what the press should be doing. The task is to get them to do it.
