The Rather School of Journalism

The media still doesn't get it ... even after Rathergate. Particularly repugnant was today's article by Timothy Heritage, Four More Years of Bush Makes the World Anxious.

He leads off with this:

PARIS (Reuters) - The rest of the world will be watching with anxiety when President Bush is inaugurated Thursday for a second time, fearing the most powerful man on the planet may do more harm than good.

Many world leaders, alienated by Bush's go-it-alone foreign policy and the U.S.-led war in Iraq, would have preferred him to lose the U.S. election last November. Since his victory, they have been urging him to listen and consult more.

Good opening ... catchy ... oh, by the way, which leaders?

You'd think after an opening statement such as this, a reputable journalist would list and quote these leaders extensively to re-enforce his point, right?

Well, here's the very next paragraph:

Mistrust also runs deep among ordinary people. Some 58 percent of people surveyed in a British Broadcasting Corporation poll in 21 countries said they believed Bush's re-election made the world a more dangerous place.

What happened? Where did the "leaders" go?

Instead of backing up his outrageous opening claim he moves on, hoping we all accept his statement as fact.

He continues:

"Negative feelings about Bush are high," Steven Kull, director of the Program on International Policy Attitudes which carried out the study, told the BBC. "This is quite a grim picture for the United States."

Grim picture for the U.S.? Actually, no ... for France perhaps, Russia too, and Germany, and let's not forget Iran and North Korea; and for terrorists worldwide, yep pretty grim ... but for the U.S.? No, not so grim.

Later in the piece, Heritage finally quotes an actual public official, albeit a French one:

"I think 2005 should mark a new start in our relations ... based on listening to each other, having a more regular dialogue and mutual respect," French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said last week, reflecting the view of the European Union.

Reflecting the views of the EU? What, all of it? All 25 nations? I didn't know that's how every country felt? Actually, it's not. But why should this stop our esteemed journalist from the school of Rather?

He goes on...

"It is clear that this is an administration that believes in force and strength and is not particularly bothered by what other countries may think," said Guillaume Parmentier of the French Institute of International Relations in Paris.

Finally, someone gets it! But incredibly, Parmentier seems to think "force and strength" are bad adjectives when describing foreign policy ... ah, those wacky French.

Heritage concludes:

"The more Bush expands the horizon of American violence in the region, the greater the prospect of extremism and fanaticism," said Egyptian political analyst Mohamed al-Sayed.

Yep, we better stop that "American violence" so we can go back to the more acceptable terrorist violence ... because let's be honest here, America doesn't take every precaution imaginable to save innocent life or anything like that, and terrorists don't, say, target innocent life.

It's a common tool for journalists of The Rather School of Journalism to quote an Egyptian when discussing American foreign policy. It makes perfect sense when you think about it.

Well, that's all from the Rather School of Journalism. Until next time, keep making up those stories and undermining the country.