This is great. I want this story all over the net. BUT NBC IS ONLY A SMALL PART OF THIS.

McCaffrey got his stipend from Veritas, got his expenses paid and extra from the Pentagon and got his pension and got money from NBC, MSNBC.

He also got his marching orders from Rummy and when he strayed Rummy pulled away his 'favored access' which threatened his job with Veritas. Fine, NBC and MSNBC became shills for W and Dickie and Rummy.

McCaffrey's contract with the defense contractor paid him $5,000.oo a month. But the k also provided that he could get a piece of the action on the total contract that ended up being worth over 4.5 billion dollars. But only if THE UNITED STATES STAYED IN IRAQ FOR A LONG TIME.

It is right in the NYT article. This son of a bitch wouldn't make the big bonus if we got out of that country too early.

McCaffrey is a rotten, lying, traitor to the USA, to the 300,000,000 million denizens who reside therein, to his own oath, to his old troops that he led. And this bastard is only one of 75 of the propaganda troop put together by dickie and rummy and w.

Never, ever ever believe one goddamn thing that comes out of a general's mouth unless you have his entire financials in front of you.

Glenn - you deploy a straw man.

There is no need to confuse/conflate government control over media (presumably control over content) with common sense restrictions of corporate control, consolidation, conflicts of interest, and a public interest standard to govern publicly owned resources.

for shedding light and leading us to or reminding us (those who already read the article), on the issue of a lack of journalists.

NBC and MSNBC have long been jokes.

Brian Williams lost any respect I might have had when he mentioned how much he respected hate monger Rush. What the hell is wrong with people. Matthews gives voice to people like Coulter and Ingram. Maddow happily gives Buchannan a regular spot. And slugs like Tom Delay are treated with respect on the MSNBC set.

Yet these men and women practically seethe with hate even mentioning the name Clinton. What the hell?

When I saw David Gregory dancing with Karl Rove in the schtick news gathering, I wondered: WHY do these people not get it? Socializing with, fraternizing with, being friendly with the politicians is NOT a good thing. We need watchdogs for democracy .....not lapdogs.

I don't have DVR or Tivo, but if I did, I'd be tempted to tape and watch the Nightly News on Thursdays, when NBC generally offers its best comedic offerings of each season.

It might then be viewed as Satire.

It's not as if there's anything much worth watching on the networks anyway.

I'd love to hear the difference between these two things that you claim have nothing to do with each other: (1) "government control over media (presumably control over content)" -- which you claim you don't favor and (2) "a public interest standard to govern publicly owned resources" -- which you do favor.

And do you think the public owns cable outlets as well, or just the airwaves used by networks?

For you:

Juan Cole: "India: Please Don't Go Down the Bush- Cheney Road"

http://www.juancole.com/2008/11/india-please-dont-go-down-bush-cheney.html

Now, why is it that this is considered the 'left leaning' website? Is Stephen Colbert correct?

Does truth have a liberal bias?

Thank you Glenn, I really appreciate someone pointing out the obvious. I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for this. The Nation, Amy Goodman, Bill Moyers, C-Span and you are my regular sources of truth these days.

Glenn - You ask:

"I'd love to hear the difference between these two things that you claim have nothing to do with each other: (1) "government control over media (presumably control over content)" -- which you claim you don't favor and (2) "a public interest standard to govern publicly owned resources" -- which you do favor.

And do you think the public owns cable outlets as well, or just the airwaves used by networks?"

First, I did not claim that "the two things (i.e. government ownership versus government regulation) have nothing to do with each other". I merely stated that you had conflated them. More than semantics here, no? Obviously, as some point, government regulation can impact content to the same degree that ownership can. But you will concede the huge distinction, yes?

Second, I understand the applicable distinction between the airwaves and the cable outlets. But I think we were talking about NBC, a broadcast network.

Last, there's plenty of room to enforce standards related to anti-trust, conflicts of interest, and the public interest. Regulatory institutions and a body of regualtory law, licenses, and corporate charters are involved here, no?

Calling all media experts - please weigh in. This is technically way beyond my ken. But lack of expertise is no excuse for not making a normative policy argument.

WashingtonDC as a stage presents many performances from a wide array of actors week to week,month to month.year to year.

After WW2 WashingtonDC was thrust onto a world stage that was wide open in view of the diminished power centers of Europe,the destitute state of defeated Japan.

Truman,Marshall,Eisenhower were on this stage.

Also a guy named Joe McCarthy found a place on this stage too.

For a few years McCarthy took to this stage in full plumage.

One day one American asked if Senator McCarthy had any decency?

As Americans,as citizens of this American Democracy,we all must ask tough questions,true questions to fulfil our role as citizens,as Americans.

Government cannot sweep aside the current disappointments of American political media. Any solutions government could offer likely not very good or valid.

As for those of us who read what GG offers week to week we do care enough about truths,facts and politics to do so of free will and many of us even take time to write several "letters" each day or week or month. We participate. We are engaged.

WashingtonDC has been overrun by money and those who are in steep pursuit of what money can do or can stop. This $$ view of democracy builds out of the American view that Capitalism is a full partner of American Democracy.

So Americans have given Corporations the power of people. And the people who run Corporations have great power in WashingtonDC.

American Militarism in the post WW2 era and leading into this early 21st century is the child of WashingtonDC and American Corporatism. American political media has become fully woven into this hybrid of WashingtonDC and American Corporatism.

Government cannot undo or make it better. Corporations cannot undo or make it better. It is not to/in the nature of either.

What may work--perhaps could work--is more Americans become more engaged--take greater interest in truth,in fact,in the decency of what America does/does not or is/is not.

For Americans.As citizens.As families,lovers,friends--as human beings.

For ourselves as Americans--for all other human beings on this planet we call Earth.

Someone has to ask--"Have you no decency?"--many have to ask.