filkertom | Mar. 24th, 2004

If anyone, anyone ever tells you that the media in the US is unbiased, here's a simple way to play with their little minds: Have them compare the domestic edition of CNN.com to the international edition.

For those who get to this thread late, here's what CNN.com has for a headline and lead-in on Richard Clarke's testimony this afternoon before the 9/11 Commission:

Panel member challenges Clarke's credibility

9/11 commission member John Lehman challenged former counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke's credibility in hearings today, pointing out that Clarke's statements about the Bush administration in his new book differ from his testimony. Clarke responded that he hadn't been asked about the U.S. invasion of Iraq and that by invading Iraq, the president "has greatly undermined the war on terrorism."

To the much more skeptical audience of, oh, everybody else in the world, we get:

Adviser: Terrorism not seen urgent

Richard Clarke, President Bush's former counterterrorism chief, told an independent panel investigating the attacks of September 11, 2001, that the administration considered terrorism important but didn't consider it an "urgent" priority until then.

The media lie. They distort. They toe the Party Line. And they do it in front of our faces, forgetting that they themselves provide the counter-arguments to their bullshit.

I'll be Snarling about the hearings by tomorrow morning, but -- ohhh, Clarke was amazing. He started out with a heartfelt apology, saying the government, and he himself, had let the country down. He was the first one, I think, to take any responsibility, and to beg forgiveness. And Lehman's "challenge" to his credibility was shredded in moments, which is why it's so obnoxious that CNN refers to it in the headline. C-Span should replay the video of the testimony this evening; judge for yourself.