Glenn, you're coverage of this fiasco is greatly appreciated. Now how do we get you on Meet the Press and Rush Limbaugh, and onto the NY Times Op/Ed page?

Great work. Thanks again.

This is the kind of follow up research which real journalists or scholars would view as an essential part of their work -- the careful evaluation of sources, testimony, and context for adequacy, consistency, and quality of evidence.

Until reporters, interviewers and an informed public demand reportage do be accomplished via the use of transparent and verifiable evidence presented in context, there will continue to be propaganda disguised and packaged as news.

Your interview illustrates the ill will, the deceit, and the bad faith that is used. Where does this not serve as the foundation of mainstream reporting anymore?

The government, corporations and the mainstream media sources conspire to mislead the American voting public.

It's our civic duty to expose this plot for what it is and to take back our government, to restore a fair fourth estate, and to hobble the unbridled power and control of the corporations which now dictate government, and thus, us.

glenn - do you have an audio file of your interview that you would be willing to share?

glenn - do you have an audio file of your interview that you would be willing to share?

I'll try to do that. I was traveling when I did the interview and used a poor-quality cassette recorder to record the interview, so I don't know if it can be transferred to digital form in a way that will be audible and clear. But I will ask Salon if they can look into doing that. I do think it would be helpful.

glenn - do you have an audio file of your interview that you would be willing to share?

I'll try to do that. I was traveling when I did the interview and used a poor-quality cassette recorder to record the interview, so I don't know if it can be transferred to digital form in a way that will be audible and clear. But I will ask Salon if they can look into doing that. I do think it would be helpful.

If Salon is able to convert the analog recording to digital format but doesn't have the software tools available for cleaning up the copy, might you allow one of your faithful readers to take a swing at it?

It's really just a matter of using the correct tool/util and having the patience and time to go through the resultant audio file with a fine-toothed comb. There are quite a few regulars here who have experience working with digital data and would be honored to assist ...

Check out the pull-no-punches article in today's paper by the Times' Public Editor. He really lets the Times have it.

For its misspellings.

No, really, that's what today's article is about.

This is a terrific post. Thanks for your work, Glenn. In a sane world, this scandal would result in serious consequences for the Times, Brookings, and for the fraudsters themselves. I'll start holding my breath right now.

thank you.

The entire debacle of coverage on these two guys was just painful to watch. Once their op-ed was out, the media whores couldn't trip over themselves and push each other out of the way fast enough to attain an interview. It was painfully obvious where this was all coming and going towards from the start with our Administration fully inserting its influential propaganda wing in our top military heads. They've really got a war to sell come September and beyond. The sad aspect of that is our war czar is not ruling out the possibility of a draft because he knows our Surge boot numbers is unsustainable for very long (I believe until April unless they extend the tours past 15 months), but I digress.

My point (and a point I think you've made or implied in the past) is that this whole press coverage was blatantly and even laughably obvious from the get-go after this initial NYTimes op-ed was released. It was obvious who sent it out and why. The real ridiculous aspect of it was that I cannot believe our media is that gullible NOT to realize they've been duped again. Surely they saw this coming. Surely they've had enough experience with this Administration's tactics in selling their war tactics? So if we are to believe that the media is not gullible, the question then becomes: are they willing participants in the propaganda sale? If so, gosh, I guess I'm just so shocked at our darn librul media.

Your post demonstrates clearly the current relationship that exists between the military, the media and the executive branch of our government. How can anyone doubt that everything you describe is part of a well-coordinated propaganda campaign to continue the war in Iraq indefinitely? The blogosphere (and a few people like you in particular) may very well be the only form of media standing in the way at this point.

In the information technology business, the terms "first to market" and "lead-pin adopters" have meanings that also describe the information dynamics at play in this case. Being first to market with an information product (in this case a narrative) provides a distinct market advantage that is normally only overcome with vastly superior resources. Most of the readers of this blog understand that whoever initiates the narrative controls its key words and their use. This narrative is about a "surge" and whether or not it "is succeeding."

Just as it was becoming obvious to the majority of US citizens that the war in Iraq was failing in every way, the neocons turned things around by being first to market with an alternative narrative -- Kagan's "surge". Now, Pollack-O'Hanlon, trustworthy "liberal" sources," have entered the debate at a critical moment to assure us all that the "surge is succeeding."

None of this would have worked if one of the lead pin adopters in the M$M, the NYT, had not promoted the "surge is succeeding" narrative. The moment this occurred and the lead pin fell, it was followed almost immediately by every other major M$M outlet. The combination of these two market advantages -- first to market and lead-pin adoption -- will make it nearly impossible for an alternative narrative to gain dominance before Petraeus provides us with his objective and professional opinion on whether and how well the "surge is succeeding" in September.

To quote Lame Man:

You raise some interesting points

Mr. Greenwald, but really I don't think we should judge these things until Gen. Petraeus delivers his report in September.

Pending some catastrophic event in Iraq, the damage is done.

I applaud what you and other truth tellers in the US media do every day. You are our Internet samizdat.