Glen Leirer answers the News Herald

January, 2 2009

To: Scott Kent
Panama City News Herald
42 cent Forum

Jim Hightower’s long trip through the Bush years (his article January 2) was a trip he elected to take through the liberal media lies, exaggerations and demonizing of Bush for everything even if it was beneficial for our country. For example he made three points about tax cuts for the rich. These tax cuts were the prime reason for the economic recovery we experienced after the terrorist attack on 9/11/2001 and the economy continued to grow until the Democrats took over congress in 2006.

The majority of Jim’s points are just wrong;
• Weapons of mass destruction: There were weapons of mass destruction, the yellow cake is now stored in Canada.
• Valerie Plame: Another media myth, she was not outed by Scooter Libby. She and husband Joe Wilson were media darlings and would have “0” credibility if the news media did their job and told the facts about this case.
• Scooter Libby: Patrick Fitzgerald knew who leaked Valerie’s name soon after he started the investigation, it was not Scooter.
• Abu Ghraib: Some renegade sex crazed soldiers, duh.
• “Mission Accomplished”: It was.
• Gitmo: Where does Jim want us to put these mad dog killers? I’ll bet not the Huntsville Prison in Texas.
• “I’m the decider”: Well, who else?
• Fired federal prosecutors: Bush fired 9 Clinton fired 90. Normally this is standard practice except when Bush does it.
• Illegal spying on Americans: How would Jim know this? It has to be a myth.
• Executive privilege: Hey Jim; remember Bill Clinton and Monica.
• Signing statements: Jim, I believe all presidents do this.
• Iraqi journalist throws shoe: How about that quick reaction, even after the liberal media has beat on him for 8 years.

Jim’s column is a good example of media exaggerations when he lumps in the following points; Halliburton, Blackwater, Minneapolis bridge collapse, Cheney shoots lawyer. In a couple weeks Jim and his cohorts will have their choice in the White House, maybe than we can get back to true and even-handed reporting that this country desperately needs.

Glen E Leirer