>Joanna:
>> I'm impressed and encouraged that there remains "a line to cross."
>>
>I think it is mere scapegoating to maintain face rather than the existence
>of actual standards. The jurnos need to maintain some semblance of
>credibility so an occasional purge for a blatant transgression creates an
>impression that the rest is credible.
American journalists are a pretty debased bunch, but I really don't think they're quite as bad as you're painting them, Woj. Taking an undisclosed quarter mil in government money to shill for administration policies is really going too far, even by the standards of a bunch of servile hacks.
By the way, a front-page story in today's FT reports that Allawi's people are handing out envelopes of cash to Iraqi journalists, looking for friendlier coverage. Wonder if that'll get reported here.
Doug