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Whether tort reform is good social and economic policy is a legitimate political issue. But it's also a serious journalistic concern. Investigative reporter Morton Mintz, who broke the Thalidomide story during his many decades as a staffer at The Washington Post, tells Bob how court records from civil litigation are critical to shedding light on major problems otherwise hidden from public view. And why trial lawyers don't deserve the denigration they're receiving of late.
Leaks are part and parcel of the Fourth Estate, and a tremendous irritant to the Bush Administration, especially back in the early days of the War on Terror. That was when Bob produced this piece on the pros, cons and mechanisms of the ever-present, and indispensable, Washington leak.
Since CBS weighed in last week with its own expose of George W. Bush's National Guard service, the rest of the media have been consumed with the story behind that story. But while the talking heads went back and forth over the authenticity of the CBS documents, did they lose sight of the bigger picture? And was the kerfluffle the best thing the Bush campaign could have hoped for? Bob takes a look at media scandal-as-diversion.
George W. Bush may be the first president since Hoover to preside over a net job loss, but one industry has boomed under his watch - political truth-squadding. In the last three-and-a-half years, Bryan Keefer, for one, has become a veteran vetter. The co-author of All the President's Spin tells Mike how the presidential hopefuls have mastered the art of misleading without lying.
George W. Bush may be the first president since Hoover to preside over a net job loss, but one industry has boomed under his watch - political truth-squadding. In the last three-and-a-half years, Bryan Keefer, for one, has become a veteran vetter. The co-author of All the President's Spin tells Mike how the presidential hopefuls have mastered the art of misleading without lying.
September has been dubbed National Preparedness Month, and features a slate of events intended to raise public awareness about what to do in the case of a terrorist attack. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will inaugurate the month will an official announcement on…September 9th? Blogger Bob Harris tells Brooke that the timing of Ridge's kick-off makes it obvious that National Preparedness Week is really all about election season shenanigans.
If homeland security officials were to stop doing their jobs until after the election, so as not to be perceived as being politically-motivated, would we really be better off? That's how DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Susan Neely responds to accusations that her agency is shilling for the GOP. She joins Brooke to explain that preparedness activities have been taking place for many months now, and that National Preparedness Month is simply an opportunity to spread the message wider.
There are more developments in the FBI's search for the source of the Bob Novak column that outed CIA agent Valerie Plame. This week: The Feds vs. The New York Times.
