Tipsheet

The Price and the Party Line

It's illuminating to watch the different press responses to books criticizing Republican White Houses and those even perceived to be less-than-favorable t o Democrats.  

Take Ron Suskind and Jodi Kantor -- who have had the temerity to write newsworthy books about the Obama White House.   Kantor's attacked on CNN, left feebly to protest that her book is actually complimentary to Mrs. Obama!

Perhaps she should have taken heed of the treatment of Ron Suskind, whose book about the administration's response to the economic crisis got him into trouble with his friends in the MSM -- exhibit A being this interview with Ann Curry on "Today," but also from other left-leaning media figures.

In contrast, when Scott McClellan wrote a harshly critical book about the Bush White House (much more damaging than either Suskind's or Kantor's) he was lionized.  He received a sympathetic hearing on the "Today" show, and on the CBS "Early Show,"Harry Smith asked him sympathetically, "How are you  holding up?"  Of course, this time, the "Early Show" ran an interview with Mrs. Obama conducted by her friend, Gayle King.  

None of this is news to conservatives.  But to those in the MSM who have perhaps denied the existence of bias, let the word go forth: If you write anything even remotely critical about favored politicians like the Obamas, you will pay the price.