Is belief in Iraq's involvement in 911 the fault of the media or Bush?

[quilp]

A Democratic president lied to us about a woman! It endangered our "rule of law". This is what the media told us day after day about Clinton. The media told us it was its unfortunate duty to investigate and inform us when a president lies to us. These lies led to an impeachment trial

A Republican president lied to us about a whole country! 70% of Americans erroneously believe Iraq was involved in 911. The media had to know Bush was lying. But now they tell us this is all Bush's fault. The media now expects us to believe its function is only to report presidential statements, not question them. These lies led to a war.

If the media allows a political figure to lie with impunity it is the fault of the media, not the political figure. We expect politicians to mislead us. They often sincerely believe it their duty to do so. That is why we have a "free press".

[joeybee12]

1. Both are to blame...

...most politicians will "lie" in the sense that they will present themselves in the best light, or will present information that only bolsters their own side.

However, there are few people who will lie so despicably as the filth that currently occupies the Oval Office. What he has done is not simply bending the truth, but pure evil. He is to blame, and so are the spineless morons in the media who enabled this.

[quilp]

3. We were lied to constently by politicians during the Vietnam war.

Lying is what politicians do if they can get away with it. It is for our "free press" to see that they don't get away with it. Bush isn't the only liar ever to get in the White House.

[Sick of Bullshit]

18. One problem with Bu$$$h, though,

is that nearly everything he says is a goddamn lie. The only times he doesn't lie are when he talks about drilling, killing and tax cuts.

[HereSince1628]

2. The answer to the question in the subject header is...YES

They are both at fault.

Bush wanted the nation to go to war, and wasnt about to undermine ANYTIHNG that would bring him support.

The media wanted good stories. Shit, there is no better story than a triumphant American soldier...except maybe the ejection of an American President who resigns in the face of Impeachment. And although you might suspect that the story about being misled to war is going to come true, the reality of an American invasion puts that story on the back burner.

[pretzel4gore]

4. they wanted to fill airtime

with a product they could control....the people are a bear, and they are shooting at its feet, so it's busy dancing.....

[Solly Mack]

5. Both..as well as those who'll swallow anything the govt. tells them

without seeking the truth for themselves.

[grasswire]

6. both

Deliberate propaganda and agitprop was knowingly repeated by the press. A double whammy.

[ronzo]

7. The blame lies with the administration.

I feel that bushco is to blame here. I heard them making the "un-connection" between saddam/al-queso starting with the axis of evil speech and as recently as the address bush gave two weeks ago. They only now felt like they had to clarify. heh.
Yet, the media sure as hell didn't set the public straight, they had to toe the line for shrub&michael powell, after all. On balance...

I blame this disinformation campaign on the BFEE.

peace.

[maggrwaggr]

8. trouble is, we expect the media to tell the truth!

that's their fucking job.

The whole notion of a free press has been usurped here in America.

We simply don't have one now, and it's one of the backbones of our existence as a nation.

And most people don't even realize it. Why? Because they get their information from the press.

It's fucked up.

[ComerPerro]

9. Its Bush's fault, entirely

Even if he hadn't said that there was a link (which he did), and the media was suggesting that there was, he should have come out and said that there was no link. He shouldn't have waited to do that until the Dems started hitting him for it.

Its bad enough he lied about that, but add to it the lies about nuclear proliferation...
This man has to go.

[quilp]

10. You don't think it is any part of the media's job to expose lies?

How are we going to get rid of him if the media does not do its job? Power corrupts Democrats as well as Republicans. That is why we have the First Amendment. It is amazing that the press is off the hook on this. I don't expect a politician to educate the public. But surely that is the prime responsibilty of the press.

[MODemocrat]

11. Free press? Now that's a good one

Nearly everyone knows that the press is bought and paid for by Bush;
they say what Karl Rove tells them to say. Bush is trying to clean up his act right now by blaming Cheney because he knows he won't pick him as his running mate in 2004. Clinton lied to us about a sleezy
affair, and was impeached for high crimes and misdemeanor; Bush lied about Iraq being a threat to this country, which was treasonous, and he gets a free pass from the press because he tells them what they can say. Everyone should be held responsible for the things they say,
and quit blaming anyone in their paths. :dunce:

[quilp]

12. I agree. So why are they being allowed of the hook even by DUers?

Not to expect politicians to lie is more than anyone should ever hope for. Everyone is acting as if Bush was able to fool three quarters of the population all by himself. And it is the media that is pushing this idea. And they are getting away with it. Again!

[proud patriot]

13. The Media

politicians wouldn't lie as often if the media would do their job .

[quilp]

14. Exactly.

The media is looking more and more like the New York Stock Exchange.

[ninkasi]

15. You're got it

Proud Patriot. If the media did their job, politicians wouldn't try to get away with the blatent lies and distortions they do now. Since they know they can get away with it, even be aided by a fawning, unquestioning press, they use it to their advantage.

"Watch what you say" should be on the lips of politicians, not citizens. All the traditional values have been turned upside down, and the country is suffering as a result. And by traditional values, I'm talking about honestly in government, not government spying on, or interfering in, the lives of the rest of us.

[Jacobin]

16. The media and bush* are identical. There is no distinction

They are equally complicit, except that the media is more morally bankrupt because their historical mission has been that of "government watchdog" so they have become merely highly paid prostitutes for the junta.

[FlemingsGhost]

17. Neither. Apathy and ignorance is to blame.

A vast majority of Americans are self-centered fools, devoid of any real critical thought process or intellectual curiosity.

[PurityOfEssence]

19. The hell with enabling these creeps; it's the administration

If the media went along too much, they share the blame, but even so, the administration should have corrected it. Of course this is all ridiculous to say; the administration did everything to make the connection short of actually saying it deliberately, and this is proof enough of their intent. They stalled releasing the Congressional report until well after the war to keep the lie alive, and they did all they could to fan the flames.

Deflecting some of the blame onto the media, deserving though it may be, is to be avoided. Although they obviously helped, the real issue is that the administration deliberately intended this and played it all the way through, including never correcting the media WHO DID SAY that it was connected. The media enabled, but the many crimes were the fault of the administration.

[sandnsea]

20. Both

The liar is always responsible for his own action. The Administration created the lies, they carry the primary responsibility. The media sold the lies because the American public wanted to buy them. The media should not put money or the 'goodwill' of the President ahead of the truth.