For those of you who like to bang your head against things

Updated below....

Bill Moyers is back on PBS with a new show debuting tonight.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/index-flash.html

This episode breaks down the press' utter failure to report critically on the run-up to the Iraq War.

Should be illuminating and utterly infuriating.


As expected, I really want to shoot someone in the face after watching. It was fascinating, and particularly infuriating was a clip of a press conference Bush gave that was entirely scripted, including 'reporters' raising their hands even though they knew the people who were going to be called on was predetermined. The coverage of that press conference almost universally omitted the facts of it. It was a play.

Tim Russert came across as about a big of pathetic jackass as is humanly possibly, though credit to him for appearing. Dan Rather came across as equally pathetic, though he has a long history of emotional irrationality. Most of the big name assholes either refused to appear or ignored the request. These are the Judith Millers and William Kristols of the world.

The small part of me that hopes Dante was right about the specifics of hell wants every one of these people to suffer for their actions. I'm not one to threaten or even to wish them ill in my lifetime, but boy, one can hope that there are consequences for one's actions. And these aren't even the principal assholes in charge of the country, simply people who casually but resolutely beat the drum for war. So far, they have suffered no consequences for being utterly wrong in everything they said. It's a sorry editorial on the world we inhabit.