It's a shame what happened to free speech. No, the First Amendment hasn't been repealed; we still have the constitutional right to freedom of the press, religion, speech and the right to assemble and to petition the government. The problem is with those who own, manage, manipulate, influence, gather and disseminate the news.
There was a time when the free press and media took their responsibilities serious. They would have field days beating up on Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II.
They would rip and slash to get a story, dig for dirt, and relentlessly pursue if something didn't feel right or smell right! Think Vietnam, Watergate, Oval Office scandals and more.
But sometime in 2008 the media, the "major media," decided to change their ways, at least for one candidate, and the "great love affair" between Obama and the press began. It came out of the closet so to speak when every Tom, Dick and Harriet of the nightly news went to Europe with the "anointed one," the soon-to-be president.
The press couldn't say enough about the superstar candidate because there simply weren't enough adjectives, or toss enough "softball" questions to him. What ever denial or explanation of past associations he gave was accepted.
Conversely, they couldn't lay enough "gotcha traps" or dig enough dirt on Sarah Palin. A large chunk of the media have been blatantly, unapologetically, unequivocally, and fearlessly pro-Obama.
For the last year and one-half, most of the major media, including ABC, NBC, CBS, and CNN as well as most East and "Left" Coast metro newspapers, and national news magazines have been at their lowest point in modern history with regard to unbiased, objective news reporting.
A "lapdog" press is to be expected in totalitarian states like Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, and Russia; it has no place in America. We see through the faÃßade and think it's time the "fourth estate" regained some credibility.
The Obama administration has done nothing to dissuade the media bias that exists for them. In fact, they have done the opposite by blatantly criticizing, demonizing, and attempting to diminish the reputation of the one TV network that has unabashedly been critical, with good cause, of the administration that refuses to publicly recognize the overwhelming positive treatment received from their "lapdog" media friends.
The "honeymoon" for a new president is expected, it's a time of Camelot when opponents, the people, the media, and Congress hitch up their "rose-colored" glasses, turn the other cheek, and bite their tongues so as not to utter discouraging words. This time it's more complicated. The candidate ran on a platform of "change," confident that he alone could rescue the country from the problems we faced.
Complicating factors were his inexperience, past associations, current associations, ties to Chicago politics, an ultra left-wing base, an excess of dreamy-eyed adoring fans, and as some would say, a Messiah complex. To top it off, the administration has tried to change everything "Bush" and fix everything at once, including extremely complicated and expensive issues such as health care and environmental reform while not doing enough to generate new jobs, other than government-funded ones.
The sinking performance of this administration belies the sinking approval ratings and gives credence to at least two maxims: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't true; and, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
We can only hope that President Obama will soon be acting like president of all Americans and not just his adoring press and fans.
He's smart enough to know that there are better options for getting our economy moving and better solutions to our more critical needs but his debt to the radical left prevents him from taking the right course.
Unless mollified, the left will turn against him and he fears he won't be re-elected in 2012.
It's possible he could have a change of heart before the 2010 elections, but don't count on it.
Reynolds lives in Pleasant View.
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