Making the case via the media

[TheMercenary]

This was in todays NYT. I am not really surprised or shocked by it. From the typical slant of the NYT editing style they act shocked. I found the article interesting as well as the video summary. More surprising was the depth of the material they got to do the story. The story of the war is going to continue to develop for many more years after this is long over.

Enjoy:
{video summary}

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...RUMSFELD.html#

{more detailed print story}

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/wa...nerals.html?hp

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

The story of the war is going to continue to develop for many more years after this is long over.

I agree, both Iraq and Afghanistan. That's why I think people like Michael Yon's perspective, is going to be an important reference when they are sorting out the pieces of the puzzle.

[10MHz]

The NY times is equally responsible for the promotion of Bush administration propaganda. Employing war cheerleaders like Judith Miller and sitting on information regarding illegal spying programs for over a year proves beyond any doubt that the media has traded ethics and journalism for access and corporate profits. I hope that these current/past Pentagon officials will be forced to use their consultant fees to pay their legal bills when they are prosecuted for disseminating propaganda in violation of US law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith-Mundt_Act

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by 10MHz

when they are prosecuted for disseminating propaganda in violation of US law.

I don't think they have much to worry about.

[classicman]

Will MoveOn live up to its name?

After more than a decade spent railing against the Republican machine, MoveOn wants to move on —even if it means leaving some of its high-minded ideals behind.

Last week, the group’s members chose their top four priorities for the organization, winnowed down from a top-10 list culled from 50,000 suggestions. The decisions they weighed would determine in large part whether the group would become a friend or foe of the Obama administration, a player or a gadfly in progressive politics, a piece of the Democratic machine or a thorn in the party’s side.

What they chose: universal health care; economic recovery and job creation; building a green economy; stopping climate change; and end the war in Iraq.

What they didn’t: holding the Bush administration accountable; fighting for gay rights and LGBT equality; and reforming campaigns and elections.

MoveOn Executive Director Eli Pariser says that this happy alignment with Barack Obama’s agenda — and fortuitous absence of conflict with same — comes in part because “the people he’s listening to and the people we’re listening to are the same people.”

Isn't that special. Lets all hug...

[xoxoxoBruce]

They won't be happy when the economic realities, international politics, and world affairs cause Obama and Congress to make less progress than MoveOn wants to see on those four issues.

Obama is not a magic man that can cure all this nations ills with a wave of the wand... not even in 4 or even 8 years. What I do expect, nay, demand from him, an honest attempt to steer this nation toward achieving those goals.

[classicman]

I agree. I wonder if they will turn on him as well.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I think so. Organizations like MoveOn can only survive when they have a cause they can rally people that are disappointed/pissed off/disillusioned about.

[bluecuracao]

Are you saying that MoveOn will turn on Obama, just to survive?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Absolutely, they won't survive as cheerleaders.

[bluecuracao]

If the work MoveOn did focused solely on the President and his activities, then your point might make more sense.

But the issues they work on cover a much larger spectrum--and there are always issues.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yes, they will always have thousands of other elected officials to grouse about.

I was only speaking of their relationship with Obama, and what I predict will be their disappointment with the pace of progress on the 4 issues they have chosen to push.

[piercehawkeye45]

MoveOn.org will never be happy. Many of their goals are completely unrealistic. I would assume the brains behind it knows that and are actually just using the unrealistic expectations to provide influence and move politics in their direction, similar to a third party candidate, but sometimes you never know.

Sometimes the most respected of institutions are run by idiots and the most unrespected institutions are run by geniuses. Sometimes things are the opposite. We will probably never know....