Politicians and the media are natural enemies, but in
recent times, the relationship has exploded into all-out
war. Think about bimbo eruptions, DUI arrests, cocaine
parties, National Guard service records, Swift Boat
veterans. Think about two generations of Bush presidents up
against Dan Rather. Think about who lost. Craig Crawford
has seen it all up close and personal, and he is disturbed
by what he sees. When politicians turn the public against
the media, everyone loses--especially unbiased and
courageous news reporting. When veteran White House
correspondent Helen Thomas is banished from her front row
post, as she has been in the current administration, the
American public is denied the chance to consider her
pointed questions, even if they go unanswered. Worse, when
traditional reporters and media are displaced, the pundits
and alternative media take over. Rush, the O'Reilly Factor,
Comedy Central's Jon Stewart, and the bloggers have their
place in American politics, and the 2004 elections showed
the incredible power of the Internet. These media, however,
are a different breed, as Crawford points out--they serve a
purpose, but at a cost. They become opinion merchants,
bartering outrageous assertions for audience appeal with
little attention to the truth. These days, the truth is
hard to find. If the press is not believed--or believable--
because politicians have turned the public against it, then
the press is not free, but under the thumbs of politicians.
Without a free press, there is no democracy. That, says
Craig Crawford, is where we find ourselves today. If you
don't like the news, attack the messenger, and it will go
away. Going, going, gone.
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