Press ignores Talabani’s grateful praise (updated)

“In the name of Iraqi people, I say to you, Mr. President, and to the glorious American people, thank you, thank you. Thank you, because you liberated us from the worst kind of dictatorship.”

“Mr. President, you are a visionary, great statesman. We salute you. We are grateful to you. We will never forget what you have done for our people.”

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani
September 13, 2005

Try to find some coverage of this on the television – you won’t see more than 30 seconds of it, and it’s all about the press playing “gotcha” with President Bush.

This is a historic moment…Talabani’s generous and moving statement should have been a moment of national pride – a moment for all of us to consider the great sacrifices made by our troops and their families to bring Iraq’s great hope about. Instead…pushed aside because the press is interested in NOTHING but “getting” Bush. Not a single question to Talabani.

This is sick, sick, SICK.

A while ago, I wondered if the press still wanted what was best for America – I wondered it because they seem so resolutely unwilling to print a good word about anything – not the Katrina rescuers, not the troops in Iraq who are doing heroic work, nothing…it’s just “blastBushblastBushblastBush” all the time. Their hatred is in control of them. Very sad, very sick.

If a Bill Clinton were hosting Talabani under these circumstances, the press would be slavishly, devotedly playing the story up…and you know what? I wouldn’t mind, because Clinton would have deserved it, and I would be SO PROUD of my country that it would simply be a moment of great joy.

I am STILL proud of my country, and reading about this was a moment of great joy, but the joy was incomplete because the moment was so obscured by the machinations of the press.

I try not to hate, but I am coming to despise the press as I never would have imagined I could. I am beginning to despise them because they have become all about destruction and division and deliberate distortion…they are no longer interested in simply reporting the news, they are about emoting and “framing” and spinning – they do not serve the craft of journalism, but the craftiness of political pretense. They are apparently more committed to being cosmopolitan “journalists first and Americans second” that they cannot bring themselves to – even for amoment – “build up” America when it is RIGHT to pat her on the back. They are actively earning my enmity.

I’m not alone. The press is very quickly so destroying its credibility that when it begins to carry Hillary on its shoulders in 2007 (as it carried Kerry in 2004) they will discover fewer and fewer people willing to believe a word of their gushing praise for her.

Gateway Pundit has more, interesting aspects to the story, and the GOOD NEWS that the press will not report.

Joe at Joes’ Dartblog has more on Talabani and the press, and Maxed Out Mama gets the last (and wise) word.

UPDATE: Meanwhile, Shrinkwrapped has some thoughts about the idea that the press is losing credibility with the public, and Jamulblog is a bit more patient with the press than I am! :-)