LA Times vs. strawman

The Obama administration's attacks on the media

It is a popular conservative myth to suggest that the "mainstream media" is a liberal lapdog to the Obama administration, that reporters favor the president and that he returns the admiration. In fact, this administration has pursued a quiet but malicious campaign against the news media and their sources, more aggressively attacking those who ferret out confidential information than even the George W. Bush administration did.

Nice job, LA Times. Stick a false clause onto a true statement in order to decry a "conservative myth" even while chastising the Obama administration. Let's go to the instant replay, shall we?

It is a popular conservative myth

No, it's not. The popular conservative belief is true, with overwhelming evidence to support it, and the "myth" the LA Times presents here is not a belief that is popular, or even common, among conservatives.

to suggest that the "mainstream media" is a liberal lapdog to the Obama administration

"Liberal lapdog" is a figurative expression, but assuming we read it as "biased towards the administration and its policy goals, and against those of his political opponents," that's obviously true.

, that reporters favor the president

That's obviously true. Every survey done re-established it as fact.

and that he returns the admiration.

Excuse me? What conservative anywhere, anytime, has said that Obama "returns the admiration" of the lapdog press? No one, nowhere, no time, no way no how. He's treated the press with contempt. It's one of the defining characteristics of the canine nature of the media - he treats them like dogs, and they sit up and pant, waiting to show approval for whatever he does next.

The LA Times is so in the tank for the political left in this country that it can't even get through the first paragraph of an Obama-negative editorial without lying about conservatives...