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If you want a fairy tale account of recent history—with an engaged president taking tough choices in the public interest—hightail it to Dallas and visit the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. If you’d prefer the real story—of cronyism, incompetence, cynicism and self-dealing by the American aristocracy, read on.
The new George W. Bush Library and Museum is dedicated to educating the public. Here’s one story it left out. Play ball!
Should the media line up behind a Fox News reporter facing jail time for her refusal to name sources? Of course. But they might also look into where reporters get those “scoops”—and how they shape public perceptions. Particularly in the cases of these “lone nut” shooters that have become increasingly common, leaks from law enforcement should not be taken at face value.
Will a judge grant Sirhan Sirhan a new trial? If he does, boy oh boy, are we in for some eye openers.
For years, Bay of Pigs aficionados have debated whether one of the ships used in the ill-fated operation was named after Barbara Bush. Here’s a document that (perhaps) answers that question.
For a long time, David Petraeus was on top. Suddenly, he was out. Now, he’s on his way back. What gives? Not to be too tiresome with this familiar theme, but there’s likely more here than meets the eye. Usually is, when the stakes are high. We, the public, are of course the last to know.
Weird just keeps getting weirder. A close read of the New York Times’s profile of a mysterious top Obama speechwriter and advisor raises questions about the media, the presidency, and power itself.
Russ Baker interviews Jonathan Frieman, who took an unusual stand against corporate personhood. Frieman was stopped in October by a sheriff in Marin County (a San Francisco suburb)—for driving solo in the lane for high-occupancy vehicles. He then pulled out corporate papers and argued that he was traveling with another person—since corporations count as persons. In January, he got his day in court. He didn’t win, but he did show how creative approaches can make people pay attention. His action drew local and national media coverage.
What can we learn about the future from the past? A lot, if we look closely at Obama’s CIA director John Brennan, his Master’s thesis, and his beliefs and track record on human and media rights.
It’s the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, and, as usual, the media are making all the right sounds about what they got wrong. But the truth is that they almost always get the big things wrong—and deliberately ignore or ostracize those who break from the pack. Here are some things that the media could have, should have, been able to do in informing the public what was coming with Iraq—and why. And not to toot our horn too vigorously–we did them.
New documents forced from a reticent CIA suggest the case of this American, sentenced to life in prison for spying on behalf of Israel, may be more complicated.
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