Can't have it both ways

Ari Fleischer is upset that the media wants to blame Bush for the economic malaise gripping the nation:

"People are in the mood right now to cover only one side of the story," Mr. Fleischer said, blaming the media for suggesting that Mr. Bush was in political peril.

Funny. During the past year, the Administration has:

• squawked anytime someone tried to criticize the president's handling of the war;

• fought the release of documents from Cheney's energy task force;

• refused to release files pertaining to the SEC investigation in Bush insider trading;

• refused to release presidential records from Reagan's administration as mandated by law; and

• kept reporters, lawyers, and the constitution, away from detainees branded as "enemy combatants".

And up until now, the press has covered one side of the story -- the administration's. Anything else was considered akin to treason. No longer. The administration's free ride is over. Now that the press is doing its job, it's time for Ari to stop crying about the news coverage and start earning his salary.

Posted July 25, 2002 09:27 AM | Comments (1)