VP's Office Denied Access to Press for Unfavorable Coverage

[Rose Siding]

Libby's anger over Wilson's 2003 charges has been known. But new interviews and documents obtained by The Times provide a more detailed view of the depth and duration of Libby's interest in Wilson. They also show that the vice president's office closely monitored news coverage.

On one occasion, the office prohibited a reporter from traveling with Cheney aboard Air Force Two, because the vice president's daughter said Cheney was unhappy with that newspaper's coverage.

Libby "would see something had appeared in the newspaper or on television and wanted to use the White House operation to counter it," one former official said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-libby21oct21,0,7741636.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Is this libby's or cheneys doing?

Who runs the show over there anyway?

[napi21]

5. I;'ve heard this was a decision made by the whole admin!

How often have you hear comments that "if you ask the tough questions, you'll get shut out!"

[napi21]

2. I guess the VP can chose who travels with him, but I'm sure this

is one of the BIG reasons we've seen the kind of Press reports we have over the past 5 years!

Too bad it's impossible to get ALL the Press people to run the bad stuff. You know the WH wouldn't shut itself off from all coverage!

[maddezmom]

3. cheney is unhappy that his little empire may be going down

I love how they say the US is bringing democracy to Iraq, afghanistan and the ME in general, but don't like freedom of the press or freedom for US citizens in general.

[jsamuel]

4. Retaliation against the press... and the press took it instead of publish

ing stories showing they were being retaliated against...

That would have been a great story...

[hang a left]

6. I read that last night.

It was Cheney's daughter that told the NYT reporter he couldn't go. I was wondering what artlcle got is boxers in such a knot. Could it have been the mea culpa regarding the false WMD articles that Judith wrote or co-wrote?

[Lex]

7. I think Bush & Cheney's staff have always closely monitored the Press

and I believe they even have their staff members call CNN, MSNBC, etc. to try to directly influence the stories.


A couple of years ago, CNN reported that "the White House just called" and said that the video coverage of a little boy yawning during one of Bush's speeches was faked.

Of course it wasn't, but CNN reported it right from the White House's call without bothering to check.


Now if they will do that for something as stupid as a little boy yawning during one of Bush's speeches, just think about how they've been calling the shots at CNN, MSNBC, etc. for YEARS.

[Child_Of_Isis]

8. "the White House just called"

I have heard this more than once, from the pundits themselves... and on MSNBC. There is little doubt that they are monitored.

[Loonman]

9. Blitzer has had a liplock on Bush's butt from day one

That's why I bristle when people say CNN is "liberal">