Untitled Document
Talk about rolling back the clock: the Bushites have returned us to the days of John Peter Zenger in the harassment of journalists.
Oppression of journalists in the United States. Get used to it until
Bush and his gang are gone. Three incidents point to continued White
House-inspired oppression of journalists who oppose vocally and in writing the
policies of the Bush regime. For those who constantly criticize the main stream
media for their lack of spine, three incidents point to the fact that some in
the main stream are and have put much on the line, including their jobs, in
going after the Bush tyranny.
The first is what befell ABC "Good Morning America" weekend producer
John Green. He was suspended without pay for one month after two private emails
were publicly revealed, one leaked to the Drudge Report that criticized George
W. Bush and the other leaked to the neo-con New York Post that criticized "neo-con
lite without NutraSweet" Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
The email about Bush stated, "Bush makes me sick. If he uses the 'mixed
messages' line one more time, I'm going to puke." In the email about Albright,
Green said in part, "I don't like her." Green was forced to apologize
to White House communications director Nicolle Wallace for his comments about
Bush. Hey, Nicole, why don't you hold your breath and wait for me to apologize
for thousands of unkind things I've said about the "Dear Leader."
And Madeleine won't like what I have to say about her in my forthcoming book.
Hang in there Mr. Green, there are a number of people who covered the Clinton
and Bush foreign policies who agree with you about Bush and Albright.
Green's suspension came after Chris Graff, the longtime Vermont bureau chief
for the Associated Press was fired after he ran an OP-ED piece by Senator Patrick
Leahy on the AP wire. In a blatant display of censorship, the column was quickly
removed from the wire by the AP. In a letter to the AP, Senators Leahy, Jim
Jeffords, Rep. Bernie Sanders and Republican Governor Jim Douglas criticized
the AP for its decision to sack Graff.
Then there is the silly (but apparently well-coordinated) campaign by Bill
O'Reilly to have MS-NBC's Keith Olbermann fired. O'Reilly's campaign has now
been joined by a web site called Olbermann Watch. The Olbermann Watch was registered
on November 29, 2004 by a New Rochelle, NY-based blog called The National Debate
that has links to various right-wing blogs, including, you guessed it, the Drudge
Report, which received one of Mr. Green's leaked emails. There is enough here
that points to a RICO civil suit against these right-wing bloggers and operatives
who are engaged in a conspiracy intent on harassing anti-Bush journalists and
seeking to have them fired.
This editor has also received his fair share of intimidation of every nature conceivable.
I don't intend to let up. Next week, WMR will be on assignment in New York City.
John Bolton rumors are rampant and we will report fully on his antics at the institution
on the East River he is doing his very best to destroy.
