Newsweek lies
posted by Jason
Iraqnow
The latest cover of Newsweek has two headlines:
"Delay: How the Hammer Got Nailed"
"The GOP: A Crisis of Competence and Cronyism"
But the Hammer hasn't been "nailed" with much of anything. I read the indictment, and, like a lot of other people, can't figure out for the life of me what it is the DA is alleging he did that was illegal! According to the indictment, the only thing delay did was waive certain rights. The Newsweek cover is assuming facts which are far, far, FAR from in evidence.
The old saying says that you can indict a ham sandwich. But at least the ham sandwich is guilty of violating Jewish dietary laws. That's more than one can say about Delay at this point. The Newsweek cover would be appropriate if he were convicted. It may even be appropriate if there were, you know, EVIDENCE against him.
But the people at Newsweek were heartset on the cheap-assed, shopworn "hammer and nail" pun. (People are PAYING you for that? Puhleeze.)
Also, wholly and inexplicably absent from Fineman's and Clift's account is the DA's history of petty and unsubstantiated, politically-motivated indictments. We've got Newsweek's A-team on this - Isikoff, Lipper, Clift, and Fineman, - and yet if you got your news from Newsweek, you would have no idea whatsoever that the DA's motives and the quality of his case is seriously, SERIOUSLY in question.
On the second line, it has become something of a tenet of faith that Michael Brown got his job because of cronyism, and that he is incompetent.
But as I have pointed out here on many occasions - and no one has yet seriously challenged me on the logistical facts here - it has not been established that Michael Brown is incompetent. No one has pointed out - ANYWHERE - what could have been done differently, given the logistical facts on the ground - that could have sped up the federal response more than marginally - say, a few hours.
No one has yet pointed out where FEMA has failed its charter. But Michael Brown has an awful lot of damn-well handled hurricanes under his belt, including what is, by all accounts, a superb effort reacting to Rita. If he were that incompetent, none of that would be possible.
But that doesn't stop Newsweek from characterizing Brown as "hapless yet arrogant."
Yeah, that's fair and balanced. That's our objective media in action. I'd love to engage Fineman or Clift or any one of those people on Michael Brown's competence and the responsibilities of FEMA vs. state or local officials, and what was possible, given the realities on the ground.
All in all, an absolutely shameful performance by Newsweek. Pathetic.
Splash, out
Jason
UPDATE: Fineman will be doing a live chat on Wednesday at 5, ET. If one of you can make it, maybe you can ask Fineman about some of his omissions here.
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