Is the Downing St "memo" and the Newsweek story connected???

[kentuck]

I'm having a difficult time understanding the overrated significance of the Newsweek story. The rioting and killing was taking place in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan before the story came out?? So why are the White House and the right-wingers so quick to blame it on Newsweek??

Could it be that they want to frighten and tarnish the press into submission and caution - to the point that no one will dare to come out with any story about the "memo" unless everything can be absolutely verified? By focusing on this Newsweek story, they are putting up a barricade of caution against the "memo" story?

There's something about this whole story that does not add up???

[Scout1071]

1. Sure, it's the old trick Popeye was famous for - look at this fist up

here, then kapow! with the other!!!

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Bingo!

[Somawas]

3. Why would they have to do that?

They have proved over and over again that the American voter has no attention span, no memory, and no international viewpoint.

Sort of like the Gene Hackman character in Crimson Tide talking about training Lippizaner stallions-Just shove a cattle prod up their asses enough times and they'll do anything you want. 9/11 was their cattle prod.

[jojo54]

4. But I think it's going to backfire on Bushco.

No specific reason, just a feeling. Too many of the right questions are being asked, much sooner than any other controversial move by the W.H. and the freeps are scurring to C.T.A.'s.

[bunny planet]

5. You bet your sweet bippy it is. Another three card monte game being

played, look over here not over there, and they are squelching a press that just might be getting ideas of covering the Downing memo story.

[FreedomAngel82]

11. Could be it

Or they're sending a message to Newsweek not to mess with them and this is just a preview of what's to come to them. :shrug:

[kentuck]

6. It all seems like one big smokescreen...

But a smokescreen for what? The only story I see on the horizon is the "memo" story. If they can create enough "caution" within the media, they will sufficiently stifle the story to the point where it can be controlled. It cannot be permitted to spread like wildfire. Maybe they are running scared?

[FreedomAngel82]

12. I don't think they're running scared

I think they're doing the opposite. Trying to hold onto their power and this was just a message. I didn't expect this to happen and it came from nowhere. Plus, why would they give a damn about their reputation NOW? Before it was this whole "I don't give a damn" attitude and NOW they care about their reputation? Doesn't add up to me.

[enid602]

7. Newsweek

But what punishment can the WH effectively administer if the media publicizes the 'memo?' The media could present it in such a way as to ask the administration for an explanation. The memo does nothing more prove what we already knew; that * had a hard-on for Iraq from the git-go. This would not in itself be so damaging to the regime if it were not for the mistakes made in the war, the huge cost and lack of any concrete benefits. The 'memo' will really prove how much a stranglehold * has on the media. Sure, the WH threatened Newsweek this week, but maybe it will only embolden them (or some other organization not yet completely controlled by *) to go out on a limb, once and for all.

[VPStoltz]

8. The Repug reaction

is the most appaling blatant shovel of hypocrisy I think they have come up with yet. Rumsfeld said something like,"People died! They had better careful what they (the press)say and what they do." Of course, the tens of thousands he and the Shrub have murdered in Iraq don't count. Now I REALLY hate Repug (not like I didn't before).

[loudsue]

14. Rumsfeld outraged because "people died"????

:rofl: Now THAT is rich!

:kick:

[kentuck]

9. The effect is very chilling...

in that the press is so intimidated that they become totally subservient and under total control of the politicians in power. How far are we from that reality already?

[Poiuyt]

10. It diverts attention away from the memo story

Just when the memo was starting to gain a little traction, boom, Scotty attacks Newsweek. Suddenly, everyone in Washington is talking about the Newsweek retraction instead of Bush lying to invade Iraq.

[leftofthedial]

13. classic Rove tactics