I'm back ...with Tom Brokaw

Just back from three days in Vermont at conference. Left at odd moment -- as McClellan book provided evidence for my 5-year-old charges of media complicity in the war. I was quoted on this in New York Times yesterday, which also mentioned my book. Here is link to my new column on the Brian Williams/Tom Brokaw interview on all this the other night...
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003810384

The Scott McClellan blast

I am off to a writer's conference in Vermont until late Friday, so perhaps no posting here the next couple of days. Here is my take on the Scott McClellan book and the "liberal media."
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003808655

On Memorial Day: Media Discovers Vet Suicide Epidemic

It took a few years, but the press has been finally been paying attention to this. Here's my wrapup of today's horror stories:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003808182

Fox News contributor jokes about bumping off Obama

Hard to believe, but it IS Fox....video is all over the Web. See the longer version for context, to be fair.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003808177

Sunday transcendence

Continuing our weekly feature, very rare video of a very young Glenn Gould doing the 2nd half of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No.1.

The night Bobby Kennedy died

Why Hillary's "assassination" remark -- even if it came off worse than she intended -- caused a ruckus.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003808156

Bob Woodward on the War: Don't blame me!

The scribe accepts some blame, but not nearly enough.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003807989

An ever-broken "Hallelujah"

I've posted Leonard Cohen's own version, Jeff Buckley live, and more. Now Leonard's fellow Canadian, K.D. Lang.

Right is wrong at 'NYT'

I got a play today at Huff Post and elsewhere simply by spreading around The New York Times' posting four corrections on the most recent Brooks and Dumb (I mean Kristol) columns. Man, Kristol a correction-generating machine.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003806057

Hillary hits sexism--as racism rears ugly head again

Sen. Clinton told a reporter that the media, and voters, have been harder on her because of her gender than they have vis-a-vis Obama on race. Here is link to transcript (and then Obama's victory speech). After posting it, we learned that the same racist views showed up in exit polls in Kentucky that we saw in West Virginia. David Gergen on CNN just said Clinton needs to go on TV and (a little late) tell voters who have a problem with Obama's race that she doesn't want their ballots.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003805819

Leonard Cohen is on tour (and something is right in the world)

The greatest musical poet since the late 1960s, Leonard Cohen, fresh from his Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame induction, has just launched his first tour in 17 years of something like this, in Canada, and then to Europe. Here's a brief YouTube clip, only 24 seconds, but notable in that 1) he has his voice back, due to quitting cigs 2) he is wearing a cool hat and seems spry for his over-70ness 3) he is doing the rocking "Closing Time." Review here: http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/
Many more shaky-camera videos: http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/tourrev1.html#fred4

Warren Buffett backs Obama--because McCain did not get lobotomy

The world's richest man picks Barack, but only because he promises to tax people like him at a higher rate. McCain? Maybe needs a new brain, sez the Sage of Omaha. My Huff Post take:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-mitchell/heres-why-warren-buffett_b_102471.html

Two top columnists question Obama's DNA and color of blood

Peggy Noonan and Kathleen Parker wonder if Obama is red-blooded American enough. Some 75,000 who turned out for a rally today in Portland may disagree.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003805011

Iraq vet with PTSD kills self, brother..

After a "Thelma and Louise" episode, to boot. He had served four tours.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003804988

Sunday transcendence

Continuing our weekly feature, here's a little "religious" music: Helene Grimaud playing, with chorus, the end of Beethoven's "Choral Fantasia."

Bush lied as kids died?

Also in my absence this week, Bush made his insulting declaration that he had given up golf since 2003 because that seemed like too-sporty hobby while kids were getting killed Iraq. Apparently Keith Olbermann found a video indicating that Bush was still on the links a couple of months after he said he quit. Here is link to it:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/16/bush-lied-about-giving-up_n_102138.html

Back from Vegas-- and here's Billo

Just back from the E&P Interactive conference in Las Vegas, which was judged a big success. Arianna Huffington did a great job as a keynoter and stuck around to sign a bunch of books and mingle easily with the audience. I spent some time with her, and also Susan Gardner, the exec ed of Daily Kos, and others. In my absence, you may have seen the now famous vintage Bill O'Reilly blowup video from years ago. Here's a funny takeoff on that.

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

The Galloway/DiRita exchange

One of my favorite pieces that did NOT make my book was a column from precisely two years reprinting a remarkable email exchange between legendary war reporter Joe Galloway and Pentagon black Larry DiRita. I resurrected it again tonight after Glenn Greenwald presented another installment of his epic review of the Pentagon "media generals" propaganda scandal. Catch up with that at Salon.com. Meanwhile, here is my Galloway report:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003802401

Viva, Viva, Las Vegas

I am heading out to E&P's annual Interactive bash on Tuesday and gone until early Friday. After not risking that "your crystal city's gonna make a mess outta me" (as Gram Parsons warned) for 30 years, I have suddenly been there three times in the past two. Actually, I have won a $75 jackpot at the airport on the way home both times -- wiping out massive $25 debts. In any case, lite posting here for the next few days, may get some stuff up at Huff Post, Daily Kos and E&P.

Another Iraq vet kills himself

The horrible trend continues:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003801969

Sunday transcendence

Continuing our weekly feature, here are the legendary Richter and Rostropovich playing Beethoven's 2nd movement of the Cello Sonata No.5.

More revelations in "media generals" scandal

Ever-reliable (and seemingly tireless) Glenn Greenwald has been going through the documents just released by the Pentagon related to that New York Times scoop on the possibly illegal domestic propaganda campaign using retired military officers. Here's my summary of the latest:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003801933

I am grilled at Alternet

Lengthy Q & A with me up today at the popular Web site, Alternet. Here is link:
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/84114/

Back from MIT

They shot video of my talk at MIT last night and I will post here when it is up. My son's screening is going on in Hollywood right now at Disney Studio no less. He has had a great trip so far. Here's my latest column, on how my friend Charley Hanley uncovered the Abu Ghraib scandal -- and no one really followed up until it broke months later, four years ago this month...
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003801271

Andy goes Hollywood

My son, Andy, is flying from North Carolina to L.A. on Wednesday for premiere of his student film at Disney theater as part of his film school's presentation. They send six seniors every year and he was first junior ever picked. Will tour studios, meet agents and industry people, lunch at Dino DiLaurentis's mansion, have a party, get some tips from alumni, etc... Here's poster for the film, "Tipota," that he directed. We love L.A.!

I'm speaking at MIT tomorrow (Wednesday) night

About my book. It is being filmed for use on their web site. It's at 6 p.m. at the
school's Building 32-141, the Stata Center(off Vassar Street, near Kendall Square "T" stop).

Reporter reveals rape, 24 years later

Joe Strupp interviewed her at the Plain Dealer in Cleveland on her remarkable in-depth account, published this past Sunday. Here's my tip of the hat at Huff Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/greg-mitchell/reporter-reveals-she-was_b_100434.html

McClatchy disputes 'Flash Gordon' on Iran/Iraq

When the rhetoric starts to rise on a possible attack against Iran you know that Michael Gordon will not be far behind with a scare story in The New York Times. Mike came through today and he wrote a widely-linked piece about McClatchy and others coming to a different conclusion (naturally).
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003798525

Video interview with me at Marketwatch

Small item about the new book and 5-minute video up at Dow Jones' popular Marketwatch site today. Media columnist Jon Friedman is great guy -- besides calling the book "great." He even claims he recently re-read my Kinks feature from Crawdaddy in 1975. So, of course, there is a Springsteen question.
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/bob-schieffer-could-bail-out/story.aspx?guid=%7B61923A05%2D595F%2D440A%2DBBD3%2D564F160B4522%7D

Another Iraq vet suicide

I am tired of writing these stories, but will soldier on. For the soldiers.
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003798382

Sunday transcendence

Continuing our policy, here is the legendary cellist Jacqueline Du Pre with husband Daniel Barenboim performing the terrific 2nd movement to my favorite Beethoven piano/cello sonata No. 3.

I'm speaking at MIT on Wednesday...

Here's the info below on that. Also a video interview with me will be going up at the popular Marketwatch site on Monday morning along with shout-out in Jon Friedman's media column.
http://web.mit.edu/cis/

'Wash Post' defends war -- and more civilians die

Glenn Greenwald hits the Washington Post's latest defense of more war:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/shoptalk_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003798244

Our bombs kill more civilians in Sadr City -- and the U.S. press still refuses to show graphic photos:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003798283

McCain on U.S. in Iraq: Maybe, Always, Never?