North Goes South As Neocons Decompensate. Media The Big Target

The neocons are beginning to melt down over the results of their policies. Some of the reactions we are now seeing are nothing short of dissociative. Just witness Dick Cheney’s bizarre reaction to the 9/11 Commission yesterday. In the face of overwhelming, and now authoritative evidence that Iraq and al Qaeda were not working together, the Veep has been reduced to the most primitive “are you going to believe me, or your own eyes” defense. (When asked if he somehow had evidence that the 9/11 Commission was not aware of, his answer was “probably.”)

In these reactions, one trend that is emerging involves irrational attacks on the press. According to this “logic,” if discrepancies exist in facts or breakdowns occur in policy, it is now the media’s fault.

In comments that can only be labeled as embarrassing, the Vice President described the media as “lazy.” (Basically, his explanation for why the link between Iraq and al-Qaeda has not been discovered yet is because the media “hasn’t done its homework.”)

This “media displacement” can also be seen in the recent comments of Oliver North. On FOX the other day, North made the argument that the investigation into prison abuse at Abu Ghraib is fueling abductions, and that by perpetuating the story, the media shares culpability in the hostage deaths.

If events for Bush and Cheney continue to go badly, expect every attempt to bring the media down with them.

North video clip: Windows media player
North video clip: mpeg-4

(source: mediamatters.org)