Bush team can use the word Lie, opponents cannot

The US media will repeatedly use the l-word against Bush enemies, if only to repeat the administration attacks, but never use it against the administration.

A recent example of bending over backwards to avoid connecting Bush and the l-word was the Wall Street Journal's March 22 lead story about gaps between Bush's account of his actions on Sept. 11, 2001, and the public record.

The story's headline, 'Detailed Picture of U.S. Actions On Sept. 11 Remains Elusive,' didn't give much of a clue what to expect. While avoiding the l-word or anything close to a synonym, the article told the story of how Bush and his aides made statements at variance with the verifiable record about the events of that tragic day.

The Journal article by Scot J. Paltrow gave six examples of Bush or his top aides offering Sept. 11 accounts - all portraying Bush as a decisive leader - that didn't square with the factual record.

A key question in this fall's U.S. election, however, will be whether Bush can maintain his image as a "straight-shooter" by destroying the credibility of those who question his leadership and honesty. The ferocity of the Bush assaults on former Treasury Secretary O'Neill and now former counter-terrorism chief Clarke reveals how important Bush and his political advisers see the threat from these whistleblowers.

Central to Bush's success in his new war against his ex-assistants will be whether the major news media will continue its obsequious behaviour. Bush's strategy can only work if he and his surrogates are allowed to throw around the l-word without fear that it might finally be tossed back at them.