Blast from the past
It’s interesting to compare the tough coverage George W. Bush received during his first few weeks in office with the disgusting, pro-Obama bias that we’re now seeing. Here’s Fred Hiatt in January 2001:
In these honeymoon weeks, Mr. Bush’s more open-minded opponents have seemed willing to work with him, and those who have spurned his overtures have been left looking churlish. As time goes on, it may be harder to sustain optimism. Mr. Bush wins points now by declaring that he aims to “rid the system of rancor.” At a certain time, however, his promises will begin to sound hollow unless he has helped foster real change in the political culture.
[....]
Yet precisely because power is separated, the system desperately needs charm to lubricate it. That is why “bipartisan” sometimes seems to be the highest compliment in Washington, and why the tone of President Bush’s first fortnight deserves a warm welcome.
Heh indeedy.
Update: To be fair, Hiatt could have been influenced, I suppose, by the fact that Bush received a resounding mandate in 2000 while Obama squeaked into office with a controversial victory this fall.
flounder
Sweet mother of god that is disgusting. Could I suggest a continuing series?
DougJ
I’ll see what I can find in the archives.
Zifnab25
Meh. Whatever. Rush and Hannity were giving out the same sort of BJs in 2001. And they’re piling on the same vitrol, baseless allegations, and slander today.
Hypocrites are hypocritical. In other news, dog bites man.
Comrade Jake
Oh the stupid, how it burns.
Zam
9/11 changed everything…
Stuck
Hiatt Points. Right up there with Friedman Units, and Broderisms. The fourth estate has become a Flophouse on Fantasy Island.
Accomplished by Cheney’s 1 percent solution.
Comrade Jake
Speaking of idiots, did anyone catch the stream of nonsense from various sources today claiming that Obama threw Biden under the bus at his presser?
I mean check out the NoIQ stupid in rare form. I guess the notion is that Obama should now feel pretty silly for picking Biden as his VP over Hill-A-REE. These morons never stop.
KG
From the Pundit to English dictionary:
"Bipartisanship": 1. a system of government wherein the party which wins the presidency gets everything it wants with the agreement of the losing party; 2. a system of government wherein a few members of one party join the vast majority of the other party to pass a piece of legislation; 3. a moment, usually preceding an election, wherein elected officials realize they should stop pissing off voters and actually pass important legislation; 4. complete and total bullshit.
KG
@7: yeah, Hewitt was already speculating that Biden will not be on the ticket in 2012. It’s a shame that W didn’t think of that in ‘04. But then, again, it probably would have made impeachment easier without a Sith Lord as Veep.
handy
@Comrade Jake:
I’m still waiting for the "Michelle Obama" tape.
Fencedude
@Comrade Jake:
Maybe its just me, but isn’t SecState in actuality a significantly "better" position than Veep?
I mean, if I was interested in actual (non-extra constitutional) power…I’d rather be SecState…
opium4themasses
Just part of the reason Hiatt is a noted liberal.
edit:
Also, Joe took Veep so he could keep on being part of the Legislative Branch, right?
fordpowers
HA
Fern
@Comrade Jake:
Yeah. Well I see his traffic is still way the hell down.
http://www.sitemeter.com/?a=st.....&r=33
Ninerdave
Come on Doug, you’re talking Fred Hiatt. Malkin is more fair than Hiatt.
Sleeper
I forgot how weird it was over at No Quarter.
yikes. These PUMA alternate histories put Harry Turtledove to shame.
Peter J
I shouldn’t complain about the mentally ill. But didn’t he forget about Biden, Pelosi and Byrd? Or are they too born in Kenya?
AnneLaurie
Anthropological note: It’s not a true Urban Myth until someone invokes the FOAF (Friend-of-A-Friend).
It’s like Godwin’s Law for the credible and ill-informed.
bago
Super Tragic Wingnut Crazy Expi Alidocious!
J. Michael Neal
Credulous. There’s nothing at all credible about these jokers.
kommrade reproductive vigor
That way people won’t complain when the GOP embarks on an endless gang-bang of the entire country. Victory!
aimai
AnneLaurie, how true. FOAF is good. But I love the "went to dinner with" meme. I’ve got to put that right up with "overheard in a supermarket aisle, right next to the dog food" and also "on the internet."
aimai
Faux News
Post Of The Day!
El Cid
This is totally unfair. Hiatt & all were simply being nice to Bush Jr. because he was our first retarded President (unless you want to count later-term Reagan).
Obama is a grown man capable of handling tough questions, and not at all likely to choke on pretzels or fall over on bicycles and Segways and not know how to leave press conferences and say "fool me can’t get fooled again" and "food on your family" and what not.
JenJen
@Sleeper: Oh Jesus Gawd! For serious? Tell me you made this up, Sleeper. Please?
ricky
Not if the "friend" was Al Haig.
ricky
A friend of a friend had dinner with the Clintons and they are impressed with the intelligence and perception displayed by Fred Hiatt throughout his career and consider him the next David Broder.
scarshapedstar
The cheeks of power are spread wide apart, there’s little lube to go around, and so the only option is to head straight to the center and start pushing. Even if America screams and cries, they’ll probably feel pretty good afterwards.