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1. Is the press a "feral beast" with public officials?
A. In Britain, concerned that news coverage was unfair and sensationalized, Tony Blair went so far as to call the press "a feral beast."
B. In the USA, Democrat Howard Dean went so far as to say politicians are terrified of the media, and Republican Scott McClellan said media distortions make it impossible for public officials to communicate issues and for the public to understand them competently.
C. How does press abuse of public officials hurt the USA?
D. How can relations between press and public officials be repaired?
2. Is the USA still a democracy ... really a democracy?
A. Are the media attempting to report or control public policy?
B. How did the media gain the almost unlimited power they have?
C. Is the Internet any improvement over traditional media?
D. Both Democrats and Republicans have reason to complain ... a couple examples.
3. Can a democracy with a free press compete with nations that control theirs?
A. China is our biggest economic rival, and it controls its press, giving it and other authoritarian nations an advantage in wielding their power vs. the West.
B. The U.S. press at times shies away from coming right out and flatly mentioning China's press controls.
C. How China's economy is defeating the USA.
D. How long will USA world economic power continue?
E. If the ultimate happens ... economic or military war ... will the USA eventually just give up and accept domination?
For the complete story, select Insider View in the orange bar
Public Official: Madeleine Albright
There has probably never been a more press-friendly Secretary of State than Madeleine Albright. Yet even she feels she was set up in a trap by "60 Minutes," and subsequently had her integrity snidely questioned by journalists when she learned of her Jewish heritage for the first time as an adult.
Journalist: Gerry Storch
The author tells you what went on in the Washington bureau he used to work in ... how all too many stories attempt to hoodwink the reader not by what they say, but what they don't say ... and why he's glad to be out of the business.
