MONDAY'S LETTERS: Frank Rich's Defense of Journalists, Tony Snow's Aggressive Start, Tim Russert's Religion

By: E&P Staff In today's letters, praise for Frank Rich (and scorn of the Bush administration), praise for Tony Snow (and scorn for the White House Press Corps.), and a couple of questions about Tim Russert and God.


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That's Rich

As a regular reader of the NYTimes & a Frank Rich "groupie", I say BRAVO to Frank for his straightforward defense of journalists.

It is high time that the so called liberal media start looking seriously at the Bush Administration and all it cronies, like the hate-talkers on radio & at fake news network, who continue to use fear, intimidation & hate to divide Americans.

Frank has fired the first shot so eloquently. WILL THE REST OF YOU JOURNALISTS FINALLY GET OFF YOUR "SEATS" & START EXPOSING THIS ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS TO UNDERMINE THIS COUNTRY AT EVERY TURN!!!

It is high time that those of you who call yourselves "journalist" start being one!

The call to arms has been thrown out by Frank Rich's courageous column, will any of you guys take up the call & actually start reporting & stop carrying the water for this administration.

Coreen Sedor



The Liar 'n Thieves should be charged pursuant to the Constitution and our laws for stealing our rights and freedom.

Vic Anderson



Congratulations on your selection of Frank Rich's great article. Doing so exposes to the public the situation as it now is. Only through the courageous actions of such as Rich and your publication can our democracy be saved.

Sydney Parlow
Boston, Mass.


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Secret Service Name: Snow Job

... Tony Snow's aggressive approach to the media will definately bear some fruit for a short time. The weakest reporters will cower first but over time, they will follow the leads of those reporters who are not afraid of people in the White House or elsewhere in Washington. As long as they remember that Tony Snow and other mouthpieces for the Bush Administration are nothing more than people, they will be able to report.

The interesting point of all this is not that Snow is being aggressive in his new role as the White House foghorn, its that the Bush Administration hasn't figured out that the stronger the action, the stronger the reaction.

David J. Zaber
Monona, Wis.



Finally your gang has someone up there at the WH who will give as good as he gets, and then some. The major problem with the Bush WH in all these years is its utter failure to confront inaccurate reporting and even willful lying on the part of "journalists" and editors. We saw plenty of this on Thursday with USA Today, and that is merely the latest example.

The President would do much to boost his own poll numbers simply by hitting back at press conferences. That would immediately squelch the complaint from the drive-by folks (yes, Rush is right on with this label!) regarding WH secrecy. Once forced into a defensive posture, they just might try to do a better job of reporting, if only to get the public off their backs. They can't do that, of course, because they don't see factual reporting as a priority. Instead, they are out to "make the world a better place." Yeah, right.

Thank God for the alternative media -- and Tony Snow at 1600 these days.

Duane Lamers
Troy, Michigan


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Are the Pious Less Politically Biased?

[Tim] Russert goes to church every Saturday to ask God, through prayer, for help in asking the right questions on his Sunday show. Apparently God has taken the PC approach for Mr. Russert as he could get better guidance from a middle school. What a crock.

Wendell Harris
San Diego



Tim [Russert] needs to pray a little more. He is still less than fair to one side. Guess which one??

Barbara Derhammer