Congressman Conyers: MSM Disconnect on Iraq

[cal04]

The story from the past week was the 11 hours the Republican House Leadership devoted to discussing the conflict in Iraq. Now, it wasn't a real debate because the Republicans were loathe to discuss any real options except stay the course. But given the opportunity to speak on the record, a number of House Democrats joined me in giving some very impassioned speeches. These were unabashedly strong and forceful challenges to this administration which would prefer to see our occupation of Iraq, and the loss of life that it entails, continue into perpetuity.

The disconnect? Borne of fantasy or motivations unclear to me, you have major figures in the media claiming that Democrats are unwilling to speak up against the war and that the President is actually winning the war at home. Readers here will find that contention ludicrous, but consider that Time Magazine's senior political reporter, Joe Klein, is making that same claim.

Reported as fact is the Republican spin that "Democrats were busy being Democrats - divided, defensive, and confused about the war." Somehow, when given an insightful view into the President's musings we learn that the new Iraqi Defense Minister is "an interesting cat" and al-Zarqawi was a "dangereous dude." This, of course, leads us to conclude that the White House and Rove have the politics of Iraq wrapped up and that Democrats either favor "cut-and-run" or "stay the course." We're further led to believe that the President's confident exterior, "the full jaunty," is the truest indicator of public confidence reflected in the article's title, "Why Bush is (Still) Winning the War in Iraq."

This tired excuse for reporting would be laughable if it weren't so inaccurate and widely parroted. Look at Congressman John Murtha's challenge to Rove on Meet the Press today. You won't find a stronger, more forceful challenger to the administration than Mr. Murtha here.

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http://www.conyersblog.us/default.htm

[me b zola]

1. "This tired excuse for reporting would be laughable...

"...if it weren't so inaccurate and widely parroted."

Rep Conyers knows the peril that our free press is in. It seems a lifetime ago that he lead a panel on media reform--how long ago has it been?



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[Erika]

2. Murtha should be the voice of the party

He is strong, intelligent, and experienced.

[Vidar]

3. Conyers is right on as usual.

[pberq]

4. K&R

[SavetheUSA]

5. The disconnect ...

...is between Conyers' words and actions. He says lots of great stuff but then he votes to fund Bush's wars of aggression and voted to further war on Iran in the Iran Freedom Support Act.

He is leading the effort to impeach Bush and talks a great deal about illegal wiretapping, but then he will not introduce any legislation to hold Bush accountable for his illegal actions. He instead wants to make a law to stop Bush from breaking the law...the LISTEN act. Make sense?