War Coverage Shifts Dramatically

The press no longer cover the President uncriticically. Barry Ritholtz believes the White House jumped the shark for the press with the Valerie Plame affair when they placed petty political revenge over protecting the American people. The Richard Clarke 60 Minutes interview and the war casualties and Fallujah this week has completed the transformation. As evidence of shift he notes:

- New York Time's front page shows a soldier's casket being unloaded from a plane (its one of 3 front page photos of grieving family members). There are additional photos (page A13) of all 64 American servicemen killed this past week.

- At the President's Tuesday night press conference, the media asked far more difficult, uncomfortable questions than they have in the past. Though not nearly as voracious or "in your face" as the UK press, it was marked change from the kid glove treatment the President has enjoyed in the past.

Do not underestimate the impact of this: It is the most significant change in the 2004 Presidential campaign. For a variety of reasons, but most especially the three mentioned above, Rove & Company has lost the "benefit of the doubt."

Indeed, the failure on the part of most of the mainstream press to adequately discharge their duties is what has enabled the blogosphere and sites such as this one to come about and thrive. There is a definite public hunger for a more aggressive media, complete with better fact checking and challenges to authority.