I enjoyed this article for many reasons. It "meshed." Indeed, it was dynamic and gave insight into many levels. The Couric trade for Rather actually had me laugh out loud. Couric "sugary?" How about the lovable TV presence we once wanted to hug has shown itself to in reality be a wonderfully vacuous corporate puppet?

While Rather signed off on the charade and hid a line of thinking that has damaged everything it's ever touched. A line of thinking that claims intelligence, i.e., show the documents can't stand scrutiny, but which in its own way helps us see what anti-intellectualism always amounts to. Disagreeing with the facts ultimately leads to not having the slightest clue.

But most of all, most telling in retelling this episode, is history's ability to provide perspective. Now that we've had four more years of failure we can wipe away the ambiguities. We can focus on what we came across during a period of time when many things were unknown, and now conclude with certainty. We should use history more often. We might focus on one particular fact that has been buried for many reasons, but is nonetheless something that will be obvious later. And that fact is that Bush and his incompetence is solely responsible for not defending us on 9/11.

History will also tell us how Pelosi finding an advantage in taking Impeachment off the table was a horrible mistake.

When you add such an attitude to the fact that the economy is fueled by credit with no standards, a picture of some weight will become this country's truest description.

I think the summation will go along these lines:

"As all societies do the American nation also attempted to legitimize itself, but failed. The interesting historical fact here, however, is the belief by its citizens that just the opposite had occurred. Failing to realize that all societies have to provide for themselves both in a cultural sense, as well as a material, America left behind many opportunities to bring itself a more secure foundation simply by repeatedly claiming otherwise. Similar to the great Greece before it, and even larger Rome, Americans simply failed to realize the responsibilities entailed in a free society. But whereas those once great empires failed and understood doing so, Americans failed then simply chose to believe they could ignore the facts."

Yea, history's going to help. It'll be too late for any of us to enjoy its benefits. But, hey, at least we will have made a contribution, albeit in a negative way!

Thanks Sidney...Viva la Salon!

It's actually up to Salon to get by this mainstream media exploitation of a printing press. Of course they're going to build up just to tear down...and vice versa. To do otherwise would be to promote facts that takes away their so called special skills of keeping us informed.

Seeing politics from such a biased perspective is always a waste.

The fact is that Hillary has no skills. She's been for the war since 10/02...as recently as 12/06 she was saying timelines were the wrong signal to send to our "enemies."

Maybe only after she bombs the shit out of another Third-World country will people recognize the mess she's willing to make.

Salon in no way shape or form should wait till then to at least analyze this obvious fact just because it feels it has to pay homage to "journalistic standards." You know, that stuff that makes Brittany front page news again and again and....

Who would listen to Faludi's prognosis if she would have presented it as an analysis instead of as a certain conclusion? Especially in America where instant gratification demands nothing but the end to effort. We don't do well with open ends. Maybe we should just take the efforts made here as pieces of a puzzle. Maybe Bruce can be an ending to Susan's in effect Clarion Call. Nothing gender based intended with this order, just felt music in the air would best capture that we might not know where things will end.

Commentary doesn't need a full picture to be useful. And we can be satisfied with the gist of those who lead even if they're lost at times.

Has Feminism had a setback? Who knows at this point?

Hell, we're all fighting for our lives, at least those of us who can tell the difference between how normal society should conduct itself are. I would have been happier if Faludi's data set would have been something other than media slurs. The media lacks depth because of its corporatization and has been unjust to any socioeconomic category save profit.

Even though it does sound as if Faludi's effort is half-hearted, and Springsteen's is not what one should be focusing on - after all, if America has metamorphosed for the worse Bruce can't do that song beautifully, can he? - I still need information that can resonate. I need a counter to the mindless bullhorn the powerful is wielding. Any port in a storm man...just let me hang on to something real. The efforts of those with real skill are where the comeback either starts or ends.

Enjoyed this article...thanks so much!