Why?

Fixer’s got an excellent post today (here to comment) that dovetails nicely with my post about the capitulation of the media:

[Sam Donaldson’s] on Little George today with the two resident idiots and pieces of furniture (Cokie "What-a-waste-of-a-good-looking-woman" Roberts and George "What-a-waste-of-my-good-air" Will) … Will and Roberts tut-tutted Sam at every turn. Sam was his old self and called it right. On Howard Dean, Sam told them that Dean was a breath of fresh air for the Dems, and the right choice for the job. The Wit twins, Half and Nit, basically blew it off, saying Dean was the choice of the 'fringe' and that the Democrats should come closer to the center … Sam, taking out his big brass ones for all to see, told them they were wrong. …

Thing is, and maybe I'm a good judge of body language (or maybe I just have my tinfoil hat on) that Half and Nit knew Sam was right. They know how wrong they are, how wrong the crap they're spewing really is. You could see it in Sam's eyes too, looking the two of them over in disgust as if to say, 'what the fuck happened to you two?'

It's the fucking 600lb. gorilla. These once-reputable journalists know they are mouthing Republican Talking Points. They know what they are saying is outright wrong, know that they are going against every ethical principle they were taught in J-school, and they can't look a principled professional in the eye when he calls them on it.

Thing that bugs me is, why?

Why? I ask the same question all the time. It’s not The Fixer’s imagination; I’ve seen it, too—ostensibly "nonpartisan" journalists caught mouthing GOP talking points, suddenly averting their eyes, shifting in their chair, shaking their heads. Sometimes it’s even the partisan hacks that squirm with discomfort; remember Jon Stewart confronting Tucker Carlson? They do know they're wrong, that they're full of shit, and yet on they go, fidgety ventriloquists for an unseen but always-present master. It’s inexplicable. What could be worth such resolute submission? The scary thing is the impression they give that what’s happening is inevitable, like fighting for what’s right, for the truth, is a losing battle.

Don't tell me these people don't see this nation going down the tubes. What could be worth the silence? What do they stand to gain by not pointing out the inconsistencies in Bush policy and its public statements? When we answer that question, we will know why the once-free press has allowed us to travel down the road toward Fascist dictatorship.

And then we will know whom to hang when we storm the gates.

Fucking right we will.