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The Media's Strange Obsession With Trying To Lose A War We've Already
Toogood Reports ^ | July 16, 2003 | Lisa Fabrizio

Posted on 07/15/2003 8:08:45 PM PDT by Rennes Templar

In the long weeks leading up to that sun drenched, balmy morning of September 11, 2001, in what seemed like another lifetime, the focus of the national media was honed in on what seemed an inordinate amount of shark attacks. In their never-ending quest to keep the national psyche in a constant state of fear, there occurred a feeding frenzy which had been heretofore unseen even in the fin-filled waters off the coast of Florida.

Time magazine even gave the fearsome fish a place on their cover, an honor usually reserved for tyrants, madmen and other human predators.

This year, instead of being the story, the sharks are writing the story. In this, the Left's summer of discontent with President Bush, so rapacious are his enemies that the merest of morsels dangled in the water produces a dizzying circling.

Having had the audacity to win a popular war and pass his second tax cut in three years, he then actually went to Africa for the purpose of helping those beleaguered souls instead of paying apologist lip service to those in this country. Worse yet, he's succeeded in convincing two-thirds of the population that the security of the nation is in good hands on his watch. These and other events have caused the disloyal opposition and their scribes to sharpen their teeth to a Benchleyian edge.

The latest piece of chum being gobbled up by the fifth columnists of the fourth estate involves their strange obsession with trying to lose a war we've already won. In times BC, (before Clinton) fighting and winning a war seemed to be a pretty clear objective. Especially against an enemy who had violated an existing cease-fire agreement and indeed had attacked Coalition aircraft on a daily basis for years. Factor in a large body of international intelligence which pointed to Iraqi links to and support of terrorist groups sworn to our destruction and the case for war seems clear. No, in times AD, (after Democrats) when presentation trumps content, it seems that the niggling naysayers in the media have declared defeat in the run-up to the victory.

In what is quickly becoming known as "The 16 Words" issue, the Left believes it has finally found its WMD in its war against our Commander-in-Chief. Trusting that the American public would rather believe the media's ears instead of their own eyes, they have launched their latest quagmire attack. In his most recent State of the Union address, the president said,

"The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa."

Although one document concerning sales from Niger has been discredited, the British and the president still stand by this statement. According to the Bushwhackers, this represents some kind of cover-up. (How they love that word.)

Resident N.Y. Times spleenist, Maureen Dowd put it this way; "W. built his political identity on the idea that he was not Bill Clinton. He didn't parse words or prevaricate. He was the Texas straight shooter. So why is he now presiding over a completely Clintonian environment, turning the White House into a Waffle House, where truth is camouflaged by word games and responsibility is obscured by shell games? The president and Condi Rice can shuffle the shells and blame George Tenet but it smells of mendacity."

Yes Mo, there's a stench alright, but it's coming from the CentCom of anti-Americanism otherwise known as the New York Times. Unlike Bill Clinton, President Bush did not need to build his political identity; his personal integrity is his identity. The fact that he is a Texas straight shooter, while galling to the Left, is the reason most Americans trust him. And as far as "presiding over a completely Clintonian environment," were that the case, he would be turning the White House not into a Waffle House, but a cathouse.

It is incomprehensible to Dowd and friends that George Tenet might indeed have been at fault for not vetting the State of the Union address properly as he had in an earlier speech that contained a more specific reference to the uranium issue. It further boggles the leftist mind that a man like Tenet might have acted out of loyalty and sense of duty rather than out of fear as most certainly would've been the case if this flyspeck of an incident had occurred under the Clintonista regime.

The moral of this whole story seems to be not that President Bush is a liar, (the press would seem almost respectful if he were) but that he is not the equal of spinmeister Bill when dealing with sharks swimming in for the kill.

A footnote: Iraq's new Governing Council said Sunday its first decisions were to cancel all holidays related to Saddam Hussein and his outlawed Baath Party and to declare April 9, the day of his downfall, a national holiday. Chew on that Maureen.

To comment on this article or express your opinion directly to the author, you are invited to e-mail Lisa at FabLi@aol.com .


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: iraqifreedom; liberalmedia; mediabias
Unlike Bill Clinton, President Bush did not need to build his political identity; his personal integrity is his identity.

Bill Clintons's personal identity is his little black book.

1 posted on 07/15/2003 8:08:45 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
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2 posted on 07/15/2003 8:10:10 PM PDT by Support Free Republic (Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
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To: Rennes Templar
Ooops- left the word "won" off the end of the title.
3 posted on 07/15/2003 8:10:55 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
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To: Rennes Templar
Iraq's new Governing Council said Sunday its first decisions were to cancel all holidays related to Saddam Hussein and his outlawed Baath Party and to declare April 9, the day of his downfall, a national holiday.

I've marked this date on my calendar, and will send Ms. Dowd (who was dumped by a washed-up has-been substance abuser for a younger, prettier woman) a nice note commemorating same.

Does anyone have the date Ms. Dowd was dumped by ol' what's-his-name. I'd like to send a note commemorating that, too.

4 posted on 07/15/2003 8:40:20 PM PDT by reformed_democrat
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To: Rennes Templar
Afraid I can't agree with the title's presumption. We won the acute phase of this war, but the chronic phase is still going on and the winnner has yet to be determined. If the country ends up in the hands of a bunch of Shi'a mullahs, I won't consider that we won. Or, if you prefer, I'm saying that we won the war, but have yet to win the peace.
5 posted on 07/15/2003 9:19:04 PM PDT by RonF
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To: RonF
I think Lisa is saying the same thing... we won the war and the media wants to see us lose the peace.
6 posted on 07/15/2003 9:41:10 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
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To: Rennes Templar; Miss Marple
Yes, you're right and thanks. The original title was, "When Sharks Attack--The 16 Words War."

What think you Jane?

7 posted on 07/16/2003 6:44:44 AM PDT by LisaFab (Free Miguel Estrada!)
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To: LisaFab
Excellent! I particularly like bringing Mo Dowd's execrable comments in, because she has been one of the media point persons for the attack.

I am cheered by reports of Imus' interview with Tom Brokaw this morning, in which the Iraqi WMD report is "air tight." (Brokaw is in Baghdad.)

I also like the shark attack analogy, because we can all remember that cable excess from a few summers ago.

8 posted on 07/16/2003 6:56:05 AM PDT by Miss Marple
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To: Miss Marple
I am cheered by reports of Imus' interview with Tom Brokaw this morning, in which the Iraqi WMD report is "air tight." (Brokaw is in Baghdad.)

Me too. I'm also happy to see that Ed Koch endorsed Bush for President this morning. The worms are turning?

Oh, and also on another thread, in LEBANON terrorists who were "planning to attack western interests" were arrested. The Dems and the lefty media are on the Titanic and they are withing view of the ICEBERG that is the coming election.

9 posted on 07/16/2003 7:37:09 AM PDT by wayoverontheright
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To: wayoverontheright
.....WITHIN view... oops.
10 posted on 07/16/2003 7:38:17 AM PDT by wayoverontheright
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To: Rennes Templar
I think the Bush administration is simply chumming the waters, waiting for just the right moment when they can snag the sharks with a nice gaff hook through the gills and leave them hanging in the sun on the dock, with Rummy, Bush, Powell, Rice and Cheney posing for pics in front of them. The pathetic part is that they are really chumming the water themselves, while the administration and Great Britian sticks by its story.

All it would take is one scrap of information about Iraqis in pursuit of yellowcake in Africa to blow this story out of the water.

11 posted on 07/16/2003 7:40:55 AM PDT by SpinyNorman
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To: Miss Marple
Thanks. Didn't catch the Imus/Brokaw thing--great news.

As for Dowd (or the 'aging schoolgirl' as Mark Steyn calls her), I've said before that I think she has a secret crush on W. as the Freshman wallflower would have on the Captain of the football team.

This whole thing makes me sick. I think it will ultimately blow up in the Libs face. They're trying to tell the American people President Bush is a liar, when the people can clearly see he is not.

12 posted on 07/16/2003 8:47:31 AM PDT by LisaFab (Free Miguel Estrada!)
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To: LisaFab
I think they're putting so much pressure on GW now because of the deafening silence coming from Israel-Palestine since the cease-fire. God forbid GW orchestrate peace there. The Libs would be in despair. Of course this is what GW had in mind all along: take out Saddam, then broker anew with Arafat et al with a new negotiating tool: 150,000 US troops next door.
13 posted on 07/16/2003 9:01:30 AM PDT by Rennes Templar
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To: Rennes Templar
It's true that there are those who would love to see us screw up the current activities in Iraq because of their own agenda. But even a stopped clock is right twice a day. No matter what political viewpoint one has, we should be careful not to ignore an accurate message because the messenger opposes us.
14 posted on 07/16/2003 12:10:13 PM PDT by RonF
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To: Rennes Templar
True, true. W's strategery outfoxes them once again! Can you imagine if the "Roadmap For Peace" is even moderately successful? Bad enough for them the Arab 'street' is mute since the Saddam slapdown.
15 posted on 07/16/2003 2:03:12 PM PDT by LisaFab (Free Miguel Estrada!)
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To: LisaFab
Good theme for an article IMHO. Please?
16 posted on 07/16/2003 2:47:05 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
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To: Rennes Templar
Hmmmm. :-)
17 posted on 07/16/2003 5:50:15 PM PDT by LisaFab (Free Miguel Estrada!)
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To: Rennes Templar
What is Dowds problem? If W really had turned the White House into a Clintonian utopia she would be thrilled!
18 posted on 07/16/2003 5:52:56 PM PDT by ladyinred (The left have blood on their hands.)
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To: LisaFab
A footnote: Iraq's new Governing Council said Sunday its first decisions were to cancel all holidays related to Saddam Hussein and his outlawed Baath Party and to declare April 9, the day of his downfall, a national holiday. Chew on that Maureen.

Maybe we should move our annual bash to April 9th?? Nahh, it would be too cold to swim. Nice article sis.

19 posted on 07/17/2003 10:22:09 AM PDT by rogercolleridge
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