Newsweek: Sometimes, I don't understand you guys.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

Right now, by any delimiter, Newsweek is being whipsawed by the maladministration. Pounded into a pink froth. Why?

Because they did what we have long wanted them to do: reported the truth. Or a small part of it.

So, in being whipsawed and pounded, they are doing the same thing that anyone would do. They are buckling. Hell, you KNOW that they have been threatened with loss of access to newsmakers. That is documented modus operandi for The Pirates. You would buckle under this pressure as well.

So what are we doing? We are pounding on them too. :wtf:

Have you guys ever thought that in spite of their imperfections, Newsweek might, just might, enjoy a little in the way of positive feedback for attempting to get the truth out in front of The American People, as a free press should, so said people might make their own decisions on the matter?

If we keep pounding on them unmercifully, from the left, while the right keeps pounding on them for having the temerity to print the truth, nothing, and I mean NOTHING will ever see the light of day again.

We will live our lives forever scouring the dark and dank corners of "The Deep Web", looking for those stories that might somehow make it out, only to lie fallow on some obscure and prima facie suspicious website or blog, until they too dissapear.

I would counsel that you take to your phones, word processors and email clients and send Newsweek a short message congratulating them for attempting to get the truth, however ugly, out into the light of day, where the American Public can decide on its truth or veracity, without an intervening White House Media Filter.

That is all.

[Boredtodeath]

1. Newsweek is NOT our friend

Remember Michael Isakoff and Julie Hiatt-Steele.

Fuck Newsweak.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. Look...

I am not denying their manifold sins. In the past. Yes, there is some perverse justice in this as well, however unproductive. That said, this story was a net negative for this maladministration and its prosecution of what they call "The War on Terror". Let's not lose sight of that fact.

We cannot go through these times forever looking for revenge for the past. If we do, then the future is gonna be left in the hands of The Pirates. That way, we lose. If we lose, a lot of people who are a lot weaker than us lose.

We have some responsibilities in all this, a lot larger than our desire to avenge past wrongs.

[Boredtodeath]

7. Simple response

Those who fail to remember the past are destined to repeat it.

I think somebody famous said that..........</sarcasm>

[9119495]

11. Santayana is the author of the quote (n/t)

[markus]

2. The act out of fear

as did our legislators who jumped on the Save Schiavo weekend bandwagon.

We will continue to lose this battle until our own party and the media fear us as much as they do the right.

It's time to stop pussyfooting around. It's time to unleash the lawyers on media outlets that adopt the semi-official government press pose, and to begin to recruit candidates to run against Democratic incumbents who do not tow the line.

We are at war with the GOP, and those who do not understand this or refuse to recognize it are in the way.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

5. How do you create fear?

Where does that fear, and its creation, end?

I would rather we be the strong, reasonable, firm people that all know are committed to the truth. The real center. The real backbone.

Fear? There is enough fear already. It incites backlash by those who are the focus of the fear and drive them into the arms of others, as a response to the attempts at intimidation.

[markus]

8. Well, it's simple: You could end the George Bush administration

You would lose your job, and never work again. You would lose your home and car. You spouse will leave you and take the children.

Choose.

[Sir Jeffrey]

9. Damn straight!

It's about time we followed through on the "vast left wing conspiracy" theory IMO...

[markus]

4. Based on what we know now ... we retract the story

What we know now is that the Administration will expel any media outlet from the Gang of 500 if they do not adopt the semi-official government media position.

There is no disputation of the facts. A careful reading of Newsweeks statement indicates we are dickering over which exact document contained evidence that the desecration occured, not the fact of what happened.

Newsweek has been "Rathered". The facts are not in dispute, but the messenger has been attacked, and attacked successfully.

Note this day. It is the day the Fourth Estate ceased to exist in the United States. If we can hold onto democracy, it will only be through other outlets such as IndyMedia, sfgate, and places like DU.

[Sir Jeffrey]

6. I would be inclined to believe this if they hadn't folded so quickly...

That is, if they were so intent on reporting the truth, they would be standing and fighting on their own. Then the left would be behind them on this fight.

From what I gather, the criticism from the left is aimed at the handling of the story after being pressured from the WH. They are backtracking on reporting the truth...which is an absurdity.

I tend to think that this is another way the WH is smearing the "independent media"...meaning that the propagandized people (already conditioned to disbelieve the "librul media" like the NYTIMES, CNN, etc.) will eventually be driven into disbelieving anything not vetted by the WH for its truth...which would be the death of critical thought in this country (if it's not already dead).

[Ganja Ninja]

10. Poor Newsweek they're damned if they do and they're damned

if they don't. Right now they're back peddling on the story. That's why I can't agree with defending them. They told the truth and when the truth hurt Bush they tried to recant. Why should we support that?