Scott McClellan, White House press secretary from 2003 to 2006, is making headlines with his new book criticizing the Bush administration for consciously lying to the public - and to him, as their spokesman - about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
McClellan also reveals evidence of lies in the Valerie Plame case, and "propaganda" to hide the paucity of federal relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims.
McClellan criticizes the press for its capitulation to propaganda and manipulation. Of course, the situation hasn't changed much.
You still will not see photographs of coffins coming back to America from Iraq. The government bans it, and the press does not challenge the ban.
Yesterday, the many hundreds of journalists covering the McCain campaign and the Bush White House accepted a measure of news control. President Bush and Senator McCain appeared together to raise funds from Republican stalwarts. The press was banned from the proceedings, as the Republicans wish to limit evidence of the support McCain accepts from Bush.
The press does not protest.
In Spain, when the government failed to protect journalists covering the war in Iraq, or even to discuss it, the press essentially called a strike. They told the government they would not report on their activities until they answered questions.
In the U.S., the press is too afraid, lazy, or complacent for such action: take your pick. Meanwhile, the press reports on Scott McClellan's book like it's history. It's not history. It's current events.
Stephen Burke
for Ithaca Blog
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