THE PUNDITOCRACY ON IRAQ: Recently, Media Minded called attention to an article in The Nation by Michael Massing which criticizes the Washington Post Op-Ed page for devoting too much attention to the pro-war position on Iraq:
A survey of the Post's opinion pages over the past two months reveals a remarkable imbalance on the subject of Iraq, the great issue of the day. Collectively, its editorials, columns and Op-Eds have served mainly to reinforce, amplify and promote the Administration's case for regime change. And, as the house organ for America's political class, the paper has helped push the debate in the Administration's favor.
Mr. Massing singled out columnist Jim Hoagland, saying that:
Hoagland writes about the issue so regularly (and monotonously) that he felt compelled to defend himself in a mid-October column.
A quick count of the Lying in Ponds archives shows that Mr. Hoagland does in fact lead all pundits in mentions of Iraq:
Most 2002 References to the Word "Iraq"
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Mr. Hoagland though, takes pride in his attention to the Iraq issue, as he described in this recent passage (from the column Mr. Massing referred to):
"You sure write a lot about Iraq," an exasperated editor at The Post said to me in 1998. I took it as an unintended compliment from a colleague who was not eager to devote more space to Saddam Hussein's transgressions then. Bush's determination has cleared news space as well as time at the Pentagon for Iraq.
| Author/ Affiliation |
Title/ Date |
words | PI | Partisan References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Krugman New York Times |
For the People 29 October 2002 |
853 | 100 | 9D+: Paul Wellstone, Paul Wellstone, Paul Wellstone, Paul Wellstone, Wellstone, Wellstone, Paul Wellstone, Wellstone, Paul Wellstone 1R-: Charles Grassley |
| Richard Cohen Washington Post |
Axis of Execution 29 October 2002 |
893 | 100 | 2D-: Parris Glendening, Frank Lautenberg |
| John Fund WSJ OpinionJournal |
Blue Gray 29 October 2002 |
1359 | 44 | 3D+: Davis, Davis, Davis 12D-: Gray Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis, Davis 1R-: Republican 2R= |
| Thomas J. Bray WSJ OpinionJournal |
The Democrats' Statehouse Strength 29 October 2002 |
1094 | 20 | 11D+: Democrats, Democratic, Democratic, Ed Rendell, Democratic, Rod Blagojevich, Democrat, Jennifer Granholm, Granholm, Democratic, Democratic 3D-: Democratic, Democrats, Democrats 9R+: Republicans, Republican, GOP, Republicans, Mark Schweiker, Tom Ridge, John Engler, Engler, Republicans 10R-: Republicans, Republican, Republicans, Mike Fisher, Republican, Jim Ryan, George Ryan, Dick Posthumus, Republican, Republicans 6D=, 5R= |
| Nicholas D. Kristof New York Times |
The Greatest Threat 29 October 2002 |
955 | 17 | 1D+: Clinton 2R+: President Bush, Bush 2R-: administration, President Bush 1R= |
| E. J. Dionne Jr. Washington Post |
Bush's Stake in South Dakota 29 October 2002 |
1139 | 7 | 12D+: Johnson, Democratic, Stephanie Herseth, Democrat, Johnson, Daschle, Johnson, Daschle, Daschle, Daschle, Daschle, Johnson 4D-: Johnson, Al Gore, Johnson, Daschle 10R+: Thune, Bush, Thune, Republican, Bush, Bush, Bush, Thune, Bush, George Bush 7R-: Thune, Republican, Bush, Thune, Republicans, Bush, Republican 12D=, 23R= |
| George F. Will Washington Post |
Fowl Cries From the U.N. 29 October 2002 |
880 | 0 | 1R= |