A Question of Framing and Narratives

Today's New York Times article titled, "Photos With Disgraced Lobbyist Are 'Not Relevant,' Bush Says, is a good example of the issues Peter Daou brought up in his most recent essay.

The Times article is an understandable reporting of the President's news conference this morning, and it is newsworthy whenever a top administration official actually answers questions, especially since this particular President has been more loathe than most in holding Q and A's with the press. While the Times' reporter, David Stout, gives most of the words in the article to the President and his message, he does try to include criticisms and diverging viewpoints. This is to be expected and understood, though it does seem to be an exercise in trying to give the appearence of balanced journalism rather than an attempt to square what is truth with what is spin.

For example, I point to this paragraph in reference to the NSA's eavesdropping program:

As for the National Security Agency's surveillance program, which many Democrats have said was of dubious constitutionality and legality at best, Mr. Bush said it had been vetted by lawyers and was essential. "And so as I stand here right now," he said, "I can tell the American people the program's legal, it's designed to protect civil liberties, and it's necessary."

The problem with the reporting here is that it gives the impression that worry and outrage over the NSA program is only a partisan matter, which it is not. Many conservatives, including movement lynchpins Grover Norquist, David Keene, and former Congressman Bob Barr, are outraged over the revelation's of the program's questionable use of warrantless searches. Furthermore, non-partisan government reports by the Congressional Research Service have also found that the reports to Congress on the program and the administration's legal rationale for it do not hold up to legal scrutiny.

Clearly, it is not just Democrats who are criticizing the administration on this, but the impression that it is gives the President and his supporters the easy dodge of "oh, this is just politics."

Not to sound shrill and cliched, but seeking impeachment over a blowjob is just politics. Seeking answers as to whether the President and his administration disregarded the constitutionally guaranteed rights of this nation's citizens is a matter national importance.

- Glitter

Sidenote: Hopefully later tonight, I will write my first of many weekly posts responding to and commenting on The Ithacan and Intercom.