NY Times: Half of the news that's fit to print...

The New York Times continues its coverage of the world the way they think it ought to be, with the Democratic party in control of the United States Congress. This morning's piece - Issues Await if Democrats Retake House - goes through the issues facing our gallant Dems as they prepare to take back the various House chairmanships that were usurped by Speaker Newt lo these many years ago. The New York Times, of course, is in favor of that happening. So they're willing to make sure that NY Times readers are aware that the potential Democratic committee chairs are "increasingly being portrayed by Republicans as liberal extremists." They aren't liberal extremists, of course. But they're being "portrayed as liberal extremists." John Conyers has a lifetime rating of 5 (out of 100) from the American Conservative Union, Barney Frank and Charles Rangel have 4s, but they're just being "portrayed" as liberal extremists.

Democrats and others call it a tired scare tactic with more than a whiff of bigotry because Republicans often point to gay and black Democrats who would lead committees.

"Others" presumably includes the New York Times. John Conyers wants to impeach President Bush, but it's "just a tired scare tactic" for the Republicans to use that in campaigning. Has Charles Rangel ever seen a tax cut he liked, or a tax hike that he didn't? Has Barney Frank? But they're in line for "tax-writing" and Banking Committees, and it's a "tired scare tactic with more than a whiff of bigotry" to bring it up.

But the amusing comment is with the man in line for the chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee.

At the Intelligence Committee, Representative Alcee L. Hastings of Florida, who was removed from the federal bench in the 1980’s, is in line to take over, although that decision would be the responsibility of Ms. Pelosi and could prove explosive.

"Removed from the federal bench." Hmm, I wonder why that happened? I wonder HOW that happened?

Well, I don't, really. As I don't rely on the New York Times for my news, I know more about Alcee Hastings than that he was "removed from the federal bench." I know that he was a federal judge in Florida from 1979-1989. I know that he was impeached by the House of Representatives for corruption and perjury. I know that he was only the 6th federal judge in the history of the United States to be so impeached. I know that he was convicted and removed from office by a majority Democratic United States Senate.

Readers of the NY Times might not know that. That's understandable. If there were to be publicity about the fact that the man in line to be head of the Intelligence Committee was impeached and convicted for corruption and perjury, it might tend to distract from the Democratic Party's accusations of a Republican "culture of corruption."

The New York Times. All the news that's fit (for our agenda) to print...