Eric Alterman: Bush Bounces, Reporters Follow

We love Alterman; he so nails it!

Eat The Press Eric Alterman: Bush Bounces, Reporters Follow The Huffington Post:

Bob Woodward has made a career out of trolling the halls of power for the packaged (but not always on-message) scoop. His measured, non-judgmental style and marquee name have kept politicians and their embittered minions coming back for their respective close-ups for several decades now.

But as Woodward's own blinkered account of the alleged heroism of the Bush team's response to 9/11 demonstrates as clearly as is humanly possible, access isn't everything. It certainly isn't the only thing. Take a look, for instance, at Newsweek's cover story this week, where reporter Richard Wolffe was allowed to trail President Bush as he traveled to Russia for the G8 summit last week. The ghost of Woodwardian access haunts the piece, as does logical contradiction after logical contradiction. Describing the conference itself, we discover that 'Bush huddles with presidents and prime ministers, showing how far he has traveled since 9/11--and also how little he has changed. Bush thinks the new war vindicates his early vision of the region's struggle: of good versus evil, civilization versus terrorism, freedom versus Islamic fascism.' Well, which is it? Has Bush changed or has he stayed the same? Time, no pun intended, will have to tell. Later, we learn: 'Circumstances have taught him to speak the language of diplomacy more fluently. Yet he still trusts his gut to tell him what's right, and he still expects others to follow his lead. For Bush, diplomacy is not the art of a negotiated compromise. It's a smoother way to get where he wants to go.'"