New York Observer: NYT, Democratic Party share "fatal timidity"

[DeepModem Mom]

A War Room for The Times?
By Niall Stanage

It’s true what the right-wing bloggers and bloviators say: The New York Times does indeed resemble a branch of the Democratic Party.

But the newspaper’s conservative critics are utterly wrong about where the resemblance really lies.

The similarities between the newspaper of record and the opposition party have nothing to do with treason, irresponsibility or blaming America first. The main thing the institutions share is a potentially fatal timidity.

The Times, like the Dems, has yet to absorb the age-old aphorism that the best means of defense is attack.

The Times, like the Dems, clings to an anachronistic belief that it should not engage in debates that it deems coarse, vicious or otherwise beneath it.

And in so doing, The Times, like the Dems, leaves the field open for its opponents to hurl any insult and press home any smear, safe in the knowledge that no serious counterattack will be mounted....

(Niall Stanage is a New York-based journalist who was previously editor-in-chief of Ireland’s main current affairs magazine, Magill.)

http://www.observer.com/20060717/20060717_Niall_Stanage_opinions_wiseguys.asp

[Sapere aude]

1. While listening to Berie Ward last night I kept thinking, why don't I hear

about the good things the Dems did today? All I hear night after night is the wrong Bush or the repubs have done that day. I've taken to turning it off after the first few minutes because I'm getting tired of listening to how bad this administration is. I know how bad it is. I would like to hear some good news about how the Dems are on the attack and the repubs are on the run.

I might be like a lot of people who are so used to the idea that this administration is screwing us in new ways day in and day out and that nothing will ever be done about it that I've gotten so calloused to it that I don't even want to pay attention anymore.

I guess like may people I am beaten down. Damn! I long for a party that fights for me!