We're Just Not Feeling The Love

Two items on the--how shall I put this--mutual lack of confidence of the Bush Administration and mainstream media. One example is this Reuters story by Deborah Zabarenko on C8 (Style) about efforts to bar photos of corpses. Another is this exchange at the White House press briefing yesterday:

Scott, does the President retain confidence in his FEMA Director and Secretary of Homeland Security?

MR. McCLELLAN: And again, David, see, this is where some people want to look at the blame game issue, and finger-point. We're focused on solving problems, and we're doing everything we can --

Q What about the question?

MR. McCLELLAN: We're doing everything we can in support --

Q We know all that.

MR. McCLELLAN: -- of the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.

Q Does he retain complete confidence --

MR. McCLELLAN: We're going to continue. We appreciate the great effort that all of those at FEMA, including the head of FEMA, are doing to help the people in the region. And I'm just not going to engage in the blame game or finger-pointing that you're trying to get me to engage.

Q Okay, but that's not at all what I was asking.

MR. McCLELLAN: Sure it is. It's exactly what you're trying to play.

This goes on for awhile. Later:

Q So you're not -- you won't answer that question directly?

MR. McCLELLAN: I did. I just did.

Q No, you didn't. Yes or no? Does he have complete confidence or doesn't he?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, if you want to continue to engage in finger-pointing and blame-gaming, that's fine --

Q Scott, that's ridiculous. I'm not engaging in any of that.

MR. McCLELLAN: It's not ridiculous.

Q Don't try to accuse me of that. I'm asking you a direct question and you should answer it. Does he retain complete confidence in his FEMA Director and Secretary of Homeland Security, yes or no?

MR. McCLELLAN: Like I said -- that's exactly what you're engaging in.

Q I'm not engaging in anything. I'm asking you a question about what the President's views are --

MR. McCLELLAN: Absolutely -- absolutely --

Q -- under pretty substantial criticism of members of his administration. Okay? And you know that, and everybody watching knows that, as well.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, everybody watching this knows, David, that you're trying to engage in a blame game.

Q I'm trying to engage?

MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.

Q I am trying to engage?

MR. McCLELLAN: That's correct.

Don't try to accuse me of that says the injured reporter.

I'm trying to engage?

I am trying to engage?

You talking to me?

Okay, I added that last one. I've been in rooms like this, going crazy trying to get seemingly simple questions answered. But it isn't a simple question because its purpose is to aim another weapon at the Bush Administration, as if an expression by Bush about a lack of confidence would alter anything past, present or future. (Future because Brown is history, and if he isn't, I'll be yelling with the rest of them.)

The true spirit of the impartial seekers of truth is probably better captured by the following:

Q    Does the President agree with his mother that the homeless taken from New Orleans to Houston are much better off now because they were underprivileged in New Orleans?

It sounds like it's Unapologetic Days of Bile and Hatred in the White House press corps, since Mrs. Bush's is just another tossed-off comment that changes the course of aid not a single fraction of a single degree. But a brave reporter will defend the Republic by asking the White House press secretary to attack the mother of the president. God help us if Mrs. Bush, and not Wolf Blitzer, had said they are so black while viewing scenes of the victims. There'd be a million citations in Lexis-Nexis and profound essays by Tina Brown, if that's possible, exploring how casual remarks reveal the ugly truth. Of something or other.

So it's no wonder that FEMA and others, as reported above by Reuters, are trying to bar photos of dead bodies. As a journalist I don't agree with it either;  take the photos now and decide whether the publish them later. I'd fight it myself if I were down there.  But the Administration knows that most MSM reporters don't intend to create a  neutral photographic record.

Hello, pushback.

Updates:

Added link to Outside the Beltway's generous Traffic Jam.

Which didn't take. Never does!

Added link to Wizbang's equally generous Carnival of Trackbacks. Which did.