Certainly the www has empowered leftists to some extent, but this forum is an example of it empowering honest people as well. So I don't see that. And I seriously doubt that FNC has hurt Bush. CNN was around in the Reagan years.The real problem, IMHO, is that Bush has been soft on leftism. My definition of leftism is, "the perspective that talk is more important than action." The one thing that a journalist - a talker - wants you to take away from his presentation is the idea that journalism is important. That is why journalism criticizes and second guesses those who do not just talk but actually take responsibility for providing our necessities.
"It is not the critic who counts . . . the credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena - Theodore RooseveltThe journalist is the critic, and Bush is the man in the arena trying to accomplish something difficult. More generally, Republicans who aren't RINOs represent the productive leaders of the country and Democrats represent those who set criticism and second guessing above the actual attempt to get things done.The journalists and the rest of the complainers are like a fast linebacker on a football team - it does no good to try to avoid them, they'll catch up with you for sure. The only thing that can work is to run directly at them, and expose the fundamental weakness of mere criticism without responsibility. Democrats have been all over the map, saying that Bush should do something - anything - other than what he was doing. The "troop surge" is actually something that Democrats advocated first, but the moment Bush announced it the Democrats were against it.
Bush allowed himself to be second guessed without seriously counterattacking. He allowed journalism to position itself as being seperate from the Democratic politicians who adopt precisely the same positions as the journalists do. And in doing so he has allowed that second guessing of him to affect the ability of the troops to do their mission, and the ability of the Iranians to create enthusiasm for staying the course of oppositon to Americans in Iraq.
Bush has not handled the media at all well. He needs to defend himself and get out in front of issues like Reagan and Clinton did so well.