June 17, 2003

Bamboozling Revisited

by Maureen Farrell

An excerpt:

In January, 2003, Mike Ward addressed the conspiracy theories that had sprung up since the 911 attacks. "Angry speculation - focused mainly on government dirty dealings, ulterior motives, and potential complicity in the attacks - has risen to a clamor that easily rivals what followed the Kennedy assassination," he wrote . Not surprisingly, the more Team Bush shows contempt for truth and the public's right to know, the worse it gets. And if a miracle doesn't happen -- that is, if the Bush administration doesn't cooperate with the September 11 commission or satisfactorily address claims that they knowingly presented forged information to make their case for war [LINK] -- sentient citizens are going to want to know why.

"Was Press Asleep on Pre-War WMD Issue?" the June 12, 2003 edition of Editor and Publisher belatedly asked, with Dallas Morning News international editor Tim Connelly admitting, "Questions were being raised, not necessarily by the press, but by diplomats. The skepticism was there, but it may be the case that the press failed to ask this or that question.

. . .[H]ere then, is a sampling of attempts to manipulate, control and bamboozle the public -- then and now:

MORE: http://www.buzzflash.com/farrell/03/06/17.html