What Liberal Media? The San Jose Mercury News for Starters.

Tom Mangan, who works at " features copy desk at the San Jose Mercury News" and runs Prints the Chaff is refreshingly direct about the nature of his newspaper:

Thing is, everybody I work with, almost without exception, is against the war. And this true of just about every American newsroom not owned by Rupert Murdoch or the Moonies. And it won't be long before they turn, too, the way things are going.

So what I'm wondering is, how did the White House and the Pentagon think they'd get this story past all us limp-wristed, bleeding-heart, pacifist, war-hating journalists?

He's upset about the treatment of prisoners in Iraq. Indeed, it is hard to find anyone right, left, or center who isn't upset about this issue. It seems to be either the thing we do, or the thing to do, depending.

Either way it certainly is empowering to many around the world. Many find in the incident the proof positive that we are a terrible people. Many find in the endless paens of outrage and disgust proof positive that we are a decent and compassionate people. Our enemies find in the incident and its political fallout proof positive that we are a silly people.

Liberal journalists such as Mangan see it as proof positive that by God there is no plan and we told you so: "I'm not seeing many hints that the White House or the Pentagon has a sensible plan to win the political war, much less the blood-and-guts one. But they'd better get one soon if they expect all us newsies to stick with the program."

Readers of the San Jose Mercury News may see statements such as that as proof positive that the staff of their newspaper, especially those on the features copy desk, may not be too dedicated to the proposition of unbiased reporting.

As for the threat that somehow newsies such as Mr. Mangan may stop 'sticking with the program,' it hasn't been our impression that a lot of newsies have been "with the program" for decades; as Mr. Mangan is kind enough to verify. Now, if only we could get one other member of the San Jose Mercury News to confirm Mangan's statement we could publish it as the truth.

Posted by Vanderleun at May 9, 2004 7:21 AM