Big media types are angered that U.S. President George Bush has openly admitted to ignoring much of the mainstream press due to its biased coverage. In an interview with ABC News, Bush told ABC's Diane Sawyer “I get my news from people who don't editorialize. They give me the actual news, and it makes it easier to digest, on a daily basis, the facts.”
One can imagine that feathers were ruffled at the New York Times when Bush was questioned about one of their ever-partisan editorials which he unabashedly admitted he hadn't even bothered to read. Newsday carried an article with various media reactions to the revelations.
The most colorful remarks came from Playboy editor James Kaminsky who was furious Bush ignored him and his ilk. “It's appalling to think that the man who runs the country somehow finds time for a long gym workout each day but can't muster up the intellectual curiosity to peruse the newspaper. Is it laziness, arrogance or a willful combination of the two? Does the president really need a human filter to deliver only news the White House staff thinks he wants to hear? Do gossip items sometimes get thrown into the daily 'readings'? How about the funnies? How hard is it to watch the TV news, even while working out?,” said Kaminsky.
The President's statement comes as no surprise to Ezra Levant, publisher of the upcoming Western Standard magazine to be launched next March. Levant told LifeSiteNews.com the fact that the President was candid about avoiding the bias in much mainstream media is a sign that “most people know they are not just getting facts reported, they are getting huge spin.”
Levant recalled a recent 'news' production of Canadian public broadcaster CBC covering the capture of Saddam which made it seem like the capture “was a setback for the allies and of no moral or military significance.” Of the CBC program he said, “No one can watch that and think, 'Oh I'm just getting the news'. They see this is more like a political party dressed up as a newscast.”
“In general,” said Levant, “it's the big old Liberal media headed up by big old Liberals, and CBC is a perfect example.” Levant stressed, “that's why sources like Drudge, LifeSite, and Western Standard are so needed.”
See the Bush interview and the Newsday coverage.
(This update courtesy of LifeSiteNews.com.)
