Network Execs Pushed Pro-Bush Stories before Iraq War

by Deb Cupples |  The critical book by former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan is causing trouble for the media, as well as the Bush Administration.

Yesterday, CNN correspondent Jessica Yellin added evidence to the cases against the media, which McClellan (and many Americans who paid attention) believed had helped the Bush Administration sell the Iraq war to the public based on questionable grounds.

Yellin had covered the White House for ABC and MSNBC in 2002 and 2003.  Below is a piece of an interview of Yellin by Anderson Cooper:

[YELLIN]: "...I think the press corps dropped the ball at the beginning. When the lead-up to the war began, the press corps was under enormous pressure from corporate executives, frankly, to make sure that this was a war that was presented in a way that was consistent with the patriotic fever in the nation and the president's high approval ratings.

"And my own experience at the White House was that, the higher the president's approval ratings, the more pressure I had from news executives -- and I was not at this network at the time -- but the more pressure I had from news executives to put on positive stories about the president...."

"COOPER:  You had pressure from news executives to put on positive stories about the president? 

"YELLIN: Not in that exact -- they wouldn't say it in that way, but they would edit my pieces. They would push me in different directions. They would turn down stories that were more critical and try to put on pieces that were more positive, yes. That was my experience." (CNN)

During the lead-up to the Iraq war, "positive stories about the president" included selling his talking points about invading Iraq -- however questionable they were.

That's just what many media did.

We learned last year from Bill Moyers (and the journalists he interviewed) that many media had either been co-opted by the Bush Adminsitration or had fallen down on the job during the Iraq war lead up and afterward. (See USA Today and PBS transcript at Truthout.)

Earlier this month, we learned that the Pentagon might have fed pro-war propaganda to so-called "military analysts" who had monetary interests in our nation's invasion of Iraq (NY Times).  Many  media seem to have been a-okay with this.

The media's handling of the Iraq war should have been enough to cause American viewers to protest or boycott or at least question whatever stories the media covers.  Apparently, this has not happened.

The way I see it, our media is supposed to report facts, ask questions, and at least try to cover events and issues objectively.

As is evident from many media's highly biased coverage of this year's Democratic race for the presidential nomination (and MSNBC's blatant campaigning), most media are still still failing to do their job.

Glenn Greenwald has other examples of journalists who've come forward about media failures.  Memeorandum has commentary.

Related BN-Politics Posts:

* Pentagon to Investigate Military Analysts

* Studies Show Pro-Obama (or Anti-Hillary) Media Bias

* Is MSNBC Biased Toward Obama or Against Hillary?

* How Administration Used "Analysts" to Manipulate Public Opinion

Comments

[Adam]

It's good to see the floodgates finally opening on this story. When you combine this stuff with the pentagon propoganda programming, the net effect is incredibly damning. I'm not getting my hopes up, but really, heads SHOULD roll over this.

[Deb Cupples]

Adam,

I agree that heads should roll -- over both the war and the hijacking of the Dems' race for the presidential nomination.

[Danny]

Please find and post on Rev or Priest Pflegers pulpit rant - Obama's old dear friend standing in the pulpit of of his and Obama's church Mocking Hillary for being White - Bill's Wife - in the worst kind of racist rant towards white people and Democrats who support Hillary you will ever see. Obama and his wife Michele are this kind of people too! They will never win in November. NOT after America gets a load of this video and I'm sending it out to thousands of people myself!

[Deb Cupples]

Danny,

Personally, I'm just not interested in what Obama's preachers have said. I AM interested in Obama's having misled the public about why he stayed at the church so long.

Although, I think I know why: Wright headed one of the biggest churches in Chicago. Many politicians use churches are as devices for networking and getting votes.

Frankly, I think Obama is too worldly and self-serving to really care about religion one way or another -- though, I could be wrong.

[danny]

Deb - You're right about Obama and his church. It isn't even a church if you look at the way it's used as a political tool. Watch the people in the video and the way they act laughing and waving their hands thoroughly enjoying the anti-Clinton hatred the Priest is preaching in full "I'm an over zealous actor" and just like you. The people that go there and the things they say the things they do represent Obama - People of like minds. Obama doesn't disagree with them. That is why it's important what they say and how they act gets out to the public at large from every venue. My Mother told me - "You'll be judged by the company you keep" And Obama is just like the company he keeps. It's just the tip of the iceberg. Pretending that Obama isn't a christain or cares isn't the point. The point is the people in that church hate people who are not just like them. Well they can hate me and I'll not reward them in any way in November.