It seems more than obvious that the Tucker Carlsons and Tim Russerts of the world are why the media gave Bush and Company a free ticket to lie and distort to the press about the war. Russert has never admitted his shameful role in the Valerie Plame ordeal...why is he afforded this right not to come forward and fess up? In turn, the media have been treating Obama with kid gloves, only after SNL made fun of him, rightly, did they begin to even consider going after his very spotty, very scattered record.

I have seen media types try to excuse this academic's less than respectful comments about Hillary Clinton. They pointed out that she is not familiar with the world of politics and the ebb and flow of a heated campaign...bullshit...we have seen contemptibly misogynistic comments from bloggers, whole websites steeped in hate (Huffingtonpost comes to mind) as well as wild rumors about Obama's background. The level of discourse in this campaign has sunk to new depths...and Obama supporters, supposedly sunny optimists, have shown they are hypocrites, reveling in cheap name calling and tactics they supposedly loathe in the Clintons.

Very interesting stuff. But apparently this cozy relationship between journalist and politico has only been going on, according to you, for the past 8 yrs..Oh how pitiful you are to think Bush is to blame for all the worlds woes. How it clouds your mind and warps your sense of reality. I'm sure you are a great supporter of the Mirror and Sun from jolly England...And I know you love the NYPost where nothing is sacred or secret. To say that this is all so shocking that people are nice to people they need is such a phony crock of blather. And to say that you only left the content of your "off the record" correspondent out of your article because it had no bearing strains belief.. The whole Clinton administration was nothing but planted stories. What the heck did Begala and Carville do for a living other than plant off the record stories, and do you really believe LBJ gave access to journalists who ticked him off, or JFK or Nixon or Reagan or anyone for that matter...What world do you live in??? Oh, I forgot, it's the world that Bush has destroyed. All was well during the Clinton years, if only you could bring them back.

When people speak On The Record, like on the House Floor, they are absurdly and ridiculously polite. The Distinguished Gentleman from etc. My Distinguished Colleague, My Friend, etc.

Off The Record they might not speak that way and might even say a potty word. Can't have American Citizens hearing their leaders or journalists reading that they used a word like "shit" and weren't oh so coureous and gentlemanly when not On The Record.

Real truth doesn't care about context. Lies rely on it.

While I agree that at the core self-centered, self-interest motivates the media elites, I also believe that at the conscious level they rationalize their behavior as "in the good of the country." This seems to be the ethos held, and the more strongly expressed the higher up the food chain you go. I first observed this in the media in the 60's in reporting on the Free Speech Movement at Berkeley and then later the Vietnam antiwar movement. Without exception dissension on the part of the established media from the political establishment was taboo. Only after the positions held by these movements became accepted by the population at large, and eventually by the power structures, did the media follow suit.

"Let's hear it for Jeff Greewald, the only Salon Reporter with hair on his ass."

I think you mean across his ass.

Oh, yeah, and his name is Glenn.

"comments which provided no useful insight into the Obama campaign or Powers role in it. The Scotsman saw an opportunity for a titillating headline and they ruthlessly exploited it. "

I think it tells us that a) Samantha Power is not an experienced pol (something she's admitted) and b) this kind of stuff is so much a part of the conversation within the Obama campaign that it's began to seep out in places where it shouldn't. That's an insight in to the campaign's animosity towards to Hillary camp.

"Unless Greenwald's point is that it's a good thing that Obama's campaign be held up to ridicule and that one of his most knowledgeable advisers be sidelined for what amounts to a slip of the toungue, I don't see how that stands up to scrutiny."

Slips of the tongue cost careers in politics - everyone knows that and there are numerous examples. I imagine you are an Obama supporter and that's why you are complaining. Samantha Powers is smart enough to know that. And she should have enough self-control and discipline to realise that when talking to members of the foreign press, she needs to watch what she says. I haven't heard her bagging out the reporter - she realises she made a mistake and it was her fault. She'll be sidelined for the moment (good opportunity to concentrate on book promotion) and then when Obama gets in to office, she can resume.

No big deal.

"I actually think Carlson got the better of Peev in the segment when he pointed out that she failed to ask or report why Powers would call her a "monster" in the first place."

I think it's perfectly obvious what she was referring to - she even followed it up with the comment 'stooping to anything' for good measure. If Tucker Carlson can't join the dots, then more fool him (and you).

Gloria Borger

Are you all loving (as am I) living in a Country that officially refuses to disavow torture?

The Asshole-in-Chief has declared that he, personally, feels torture works. So there we have it!

Why does the GOP hate America?

I would disagree with Greenwald's assessment of the media in light of the New York Times policy of publishing any and all matters of military intellegence that can harm the United States. I would agree with him, however, that the Democrat media (95% of the are Dems or worse & most belong to unions that are pro-Dem) has never asked any of the real tough questions about the most brutal, henious violation of civil, human and Consitutional rights in this nation's history, that being the Waco Massacre. Carried out by the Democrat Clinton administration in 1993, innocent men, women and children were tortured for weeks before being gased and burned alive. In fact, the LSM - left stream media - NEVER even talks about Waco and WILL NEVER ask Hillary Clinton what her role was in this Constitutional shredding. As April 19th approaches, look for stories & memorials for/about Oklahoma City bombing but no mention of Waco Church Burning. To protect the secrets of the powerful, Mr. Greenwald? Yes, the Democrat powerful.

Democrats did this, for the children:

http://www.wizardsofaz.com/waco/waco2.html

And they did this as well:

http://www.therealcuba.com/elian_gonzalez.htm

And Mr. Greenwald has a problem with the GOP!?