The Nation | Article | Bush's War on the Press | Eric Alterman

The Nation | Article | Bush's War on the Press | Eric Alterman:

"Journalists, George Bernard Shaw once said, 'are unable, seemingly, to discriminate between a bicycle accident and the collapse of civilization.' How odd, given the profession's un-equaled reputation for narcissism, that Shaw's observation holds true even when the collapsing 'civilization' is their own.

Make no mistake: The Bush Administration and its ideological allies are employing every means available to undermine journalists' ability to exercise their First Amendment function to hold power accountable. In fact, the Administration recognizes no such constitutional role for the press. White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card has insisted that the media 'don't represent the public any more than other people do.... I don't believe you have a check-and-balance function.'"